


A song lives on

by Snowdrop7



Category: Samurai Jack (Cartoon), The Little Mermaid (1989)
Genre: Adventure & Romance, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Fairy Tale Elements, Gen, Lovesickness, Nostalgia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-17
Updated: 2017-08-10
Packaged: 2018-10-20 00:56:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 43,140
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10651647
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Snowdrop7/pseuds/Snowdrop7
Summary: Sequel to Mermaid and the Samurai fic, takes place during Season 5 of Samurai Jack. Somewhere under the sea and into the distant future is an adventure. Where there was one now there will be warriors, the is the tale of how Jack, Ashi and Ariel journey to destroy Aku. Pairring's the same as the first fic.





	1. Candle on the water

_"Five long decades have passed... scarcely so much as a heartbeat to merfolk due our 300 year lifespan...however the same cannot be said about everything."_

My six sisters have each found what they were best at, Attina the eldest is already practicing for her role as Queen by holding audiences with many an underwater denizen. Andrina opened a nightclub with Gabriella while Arista had become a performing musician there having rejoined Sebastian’s old band. A couple of the other girls were already married. My old friend Urchin now owns an antique shop while Simon works as a traveling merchant with Little E (the evil Manta's son) as his partner, and Flounder had started a family. Occasionally we would gather together with Sebastian to chat about old times.

I myself had grown in mind and spirit. During the first decade, I had given it a lot of thought, and decided to take up apprenticeship with Archimedes the humanologist. Daddy – even at the age I am now I still call him that instead just Father – had consented after I promised we would exercise prudence with fallen weapons or anything potentially hazardous. I feel after he’d joined forces with Samurai Jack to fight Aku years ago had given him some time to reflect. He didn’t entirely welcome all humans to the sea kingdom with open arms just yet, but his distrust had lessened considerably and I suppose that was a start.

The traveling I’ve done as a human back then had given me skills and information I put to good use, I’ve devoted myself entirely to finding new objects, identifying and cataloging them correctly. Most of them were books and scrolls Archimedes and I are trying to restore, perhaps the words written in them could be of some good use one day. I also trained with the mermaids of white cap bay for a time to hone in my fighting instincts but I strictly refuse to partake in their barbarous hunts.

With it, I’ve also taken to observing ships and other landmarks from the water with caution now that I comprehend that not all surface dwellers are good anymore that all merfolk are trustworthy. I see things a bit more clearly than I did as a teenager.

As a result my newfound knowledge had developed a great feeling of wanderlust in me. My first impulse is to pull myself upon the beach or a riverbank, to see more of the upper world as I did once years ago. Yet I remain a virtual captive in the ocean, not only for my survival in the waters… but because a part of me remains afraid. So terribly afraid of the Shogun of Sorrow.

Many years have gone since my ordeal in his lair, but I’m still haunted by these sporadic nightmares and flashbacks.

There is, however, another beacon that gives me a sense of comfort. The human warrior I’d traveled for months with before I was able to return home. Samurai Jack.

Oh my poor brave warrior.

Sometimes I see him in my travels, he is still fighting for what’s right. Much like myself he doesn’t look like he’s aged a day in the time we’ve separated, yet I feel the decades have taken their toll on his spirit. The times I do see him – I see he is in turmoil. I try to follow carefully at night when he’s at that place between sleep and awake, where one still remembers dreaming, I sing to him. My song slows him to sleep soundly during this time of need.

This time I felt as though my heart stopped. I’d feared I lost him until I saw him down the river. There was some truth to those old sailor’s stories about a kiss from a mermaid protecting a human from drowning. I held him close, long enough to pull him to a fallen log which floated towards the riverbank a few hours before sunset. I dove underwater just before he jolted awake from my gentle touch.

I can’t go on like this. I’ve got to help him somehow, if only to help ease his burden, to give him solace. I will. Furthermore I was going to need help.

And that’s when I saw them. The bounty hunters, all females wearing masks and garbed in black. My heart beating so loudly it was a wonder they haven’t heard it.

Then one of them stops and kneels down. She picks something up and shows it to the others.

In her hand was a scale. _My_ scale!

They know I was there.

I have to hurry.


	2. Her Voice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A villains thoughts

He was not as humans eloquently phrased it: Over her.

The fact that she barely aged any more than the Samurai did wasn’t helping matters either.

WHY?!

He thought he could go for just one day without even thinking of her, but then those dratted scientists just had to ask him if the same ought to be done with the mermaid.

 **"If you’re willing to scour the entire oceans to retrieve her alive!"** He’d hissed through gritted teeth.

Oh to be certain, he’d entertained himself with others, however it only appeased his licentious urges for a time. None of them had her voice nor her latent curiosity.

Forgetting her is out of the question, her kingdom is just one of the remaining few that remains unconquered. He remembers well the very first time he’d seen Atlantica, and the merpeople eons ago…

Nearly a century gone by since his return to power. It was a summer afternoon, he’d been contemplating the sea quite a great distance away from the land of the rising sun. To be precise, 8,677 kilometers.

He then heard the music. Smooth and Jubilant. Humans perhaps?

Yet it originated several acres down the shoreline possibly miles from the closest colony. Intrigued, he concealed himself in the shape of a kingfisher and followed the sound to a cove that was half hidden by the rocks and vegetation.

They were…colorful.

What he beheld weren’t humans, although from the waist to the upper area of the body they certainly resembled them. However instead of legs each one possessed the tail of a fish. He heard the seafaring humans mention these creatures in rumors or in jest. Some that were fierce like the ocean or fearful of humans. The words for them in his native tongue were ningyo. In others they were called merfolk. Mermaids…mermen…

There were so many of them, male and female, young and old. A few were using stringed objects or conch shells or merely sang.  
Many lounged on the rocks, some were swimming and breached in arcs before diving into the depths once more.

A handful noticed him but didn’t pay what they thought was a peculiar surface creature any mind.

He watched them intently for a few hours, clearly the cove was only an occasional meeting place where they frolicked. He would have to follow them and find out where they dwelt then spread his dominion over them.

Upon sunrise the next morning, he spotted three of them swimming along the shoal. And so he followed at a stealthy distance as a manta ray. He trailed them past a reef, underwater canyons and through a cavernous tunnel with a bright light at the end. And that was when he saw Atlantica – a thriving sea kingdom consisting entirely of the merfolk and other sentient ocean inhabitants.

He swam amongst the marine denizens without much trouble, silently observing them all with dark intentions. Their weapons and fiercest fighters would be no match for him, overwhelming these artless creatures would be child’s play.

Oh how he gloated when he revealed his true shape, striking fear into their hearts. Many of them scattered like the frightened little animals attacked by a predator, even more so upon seeing that their natural and forged weapons didn’t so much as leave a scratch upon him.

Except he hadn’t counted on the Sea king possessing a weapon of untold powers that caused him agonizing pain. As though the injuries caused by the Samurai’s blade hadn’t been bad enough!

Since that day, he held quite a grudge against the royals of that distinct sea realm. Then came the day he’d been preparing a well elaborated trap for the Samurai within the swamp in disguise. Imagine his initial surprise when the youngest daughter of the current Sea king went to ask for legs. Quickly he thought of killing two birds with one stone: he could use the mermaid in a devious scheme, knowing Triton would give up the trident to save her and give the potential for Aku himself to conquer Atlantica.

It had been almost too easy, until he started seeing the mermaid turned human not only as a prisoner of war but as a…impossible. She’d only been in his lair for half a day. There must be a more consistent explanation for this unreasonable passion with the sea king’s seventh daughter.

 **"It could have been a mere whim triggered by her lyrical voice, yet such a notion ought to have faded in the decades that followed."** He tried rationalizing to a therapeutic clone of himself in psychologist clothing, **"Or conceivably a distraction. Yet even that sounds preposterous. Perhaps it’s an unconventional form of limerence since I was unable to consummate it, which leads back to my earlier attempts at making her my songbird with benefits."**

And if he is afflicted with an erratic form of sentimental languishing, chances are he should be making them suffer as he does whenever he’s struck by the sword.

The solution is quite simple: He desires the one female he was unable to possess in fifty years.

Yes. If the opportunity presents itself, he wanted her here before him as his prisoner once more.


	3. Walking man's road

_"Fifty years have passed, but I do not age. Time has lost its effect on me. Yet the suffering continues. Aku's grasp chokes the past, present, and future. Hope is lost. Got to get back—back to the past. Samurai Jack."_

So much has happened within the space of time.

He’d lost the sword some time ago, he knows the deadly facts it implicates upon his head… and many others.

For the last decades now, he fears he may be losing his mind. There are times when he sees them. His parents, his people and so many other victims… it haunts his dreams and in the waking world. Futilely pleading, wailing, and demanding why he never returned. Why couldn’t he save them?

Then on evenings when he is close to a body of water connecting to the ocean, he hears her.

" ** _What would I give to live where you are? What would I pay to stay here beside you? What would I do to see you smiling at me?_** "

He would recognize that voice anywhere. He knows who it belongs to. The mermaid he’d saved and traveled with years ago.

" ** _Now there's a dream, now there's a goal, now there's a need I'll never control! I won't get free till I can be Part of your world!_** "

There are times he could swear he hears her from the water, and it eases him so that when he sleeps without dreams.

He’d intended to walk out of her life forever to keep his mind focused on one purpose. He tried not to think of her whenever these mind manifestations begin but even so, sometime his old self could be heard harshly reprimanding him for it.

‘You’ve no right to her. She needs someone from her own kind… not this! What have we got to offer her?!’

His parents were betrothed and matched in an arranged marriage. Granted, time and getting to know one another better was what had them fall in love. It would be assumed that he is to marry a woman of nobility – as a political agreement of peace, to strengthen the kingdom or a common benefit to both sides. In this world he’d seen and many women, some were already happily married, while others had less than honorable intentions.

Can one command the heart? No, that was an impossible task. No one can dictate it, for it has a will of its own. The heart wants what it wants, but his own must be denied. A happy life with her, with children and peace could not be his.

Wandering the Earth like a soul in purgatory was no life for a mermaid. What kind of a future is that?

No, she was better off in her home away from all this pain and suffering.

It was better this way.


	4. Do it for him

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ariel makes a choice, she must go to him or just be worried sick for the rest of her life.

Nearly two days had gone by since she’d rescued him from the river. Ariel knew then and there that she couldn’t remain in the ocean anymore.

But this time she’ll try and do things right. First, she wrote a long letter addressed to her loved ones; Sebastian wasn’t up for adventures like he used to and Flounder had children to look after while Scuttle lived to a ripe old age before passing away peacefully years ago. Many of her other underwater friends had jobs here, and her family had enough to worry about. This time she’ll have to do this on her own, once she finds a way, she’ll send out a message to let them know she’s alright.

Fortunately she knew where to go. She’d planned ahead at some point and talked to the sorcerer blow-fish, who talked to a mermaid of white cap bay, who’d advised her to find someone called Vanessa, the Dark Spectre Queen; A mysterious sorceress that would aid those in need of some help. The feral mermaid told the princess one of the spots in the Northern Sea. Nevertheless to make doubly sure she reaches the destination, the mermaid gave her most unusual instructions.

"She gives these to satisfied customers, or just customers. If ever someone wants to meet her for a deal," Marina -that was her name - held up her right hand with the blue stone ring. "We tell them to rub our ring, and they're transported to her Lighthouse of crystal."

"I believe I’ll do just that." Ariel stated determinedly, she cautiously rubbed it with her index finger.

Instantly she felt as though she were reeled in with a swooping rush, passing reefs, miles of kelp and caverns before reaching the Dark Spectre Queen’s domain: A crystal lighthouse.

Ariel wondered how she would get inside until she sees a large tunnel entrance, she swims through, then found herself in a half-submerged grotto.

"So, you've come after all!"

The little mermaid was startled as a bright green light, and strange moaning and hissing was heard, as she spotted the Dark Spectre Queen, placing her hand on a counter where two panels glowed under her black, scaly, deformed claws. She was tall, with dark hair that fell to her ribs, purple eyes and a snake necklace. "I know why you’re here, Child. Dear, Sweet Girl, it's been a while since one came to me for help. I believe it was your Great-great-great grandmother who last came to me." She walked away from the panel, and went to pick up a bottle that had filled up with a black substance. "Like you, she came to me wanting to give her a pair of those stupid stumps that humans call 'legs'. All because she fell in love with a human, well, I did what she asked, and she exchanged her beautiful fish tail for a pair of legs!" She stated pointing up dramatically, as she put the bottle on the shelf with other strange bottles, and jars.

"I had to, I must go him." Ariel said earnestly.

"Alright, but be warned, Ariel, when I change your fish tail into human legs, it will feel like you’re being slowly CUT IN HALF by a double-edge sword! And after that, though you'll move with the grace of a bubble floating in air, every step will feel like you’re walking on sharp knives!"

The mermaid replied adamantly, "But that doesn't mean I'm not prepared to face whatever else awaits me if I were to become human. I'm still willing."

"Even if it means your death? For if he should die during his quest, you will perish as well, for your heart will break. And the very next sunrise, you will dissolve into foam on the ocean waves!"

"Yes, I'm still willing." Ariel whispered.

"Be warned, if he falls in love with you and you marry him in a ceremony of his people, you will NEVER be a mermaid again or return to the ocean. Furthermore, I require payment for my services." Vanessa smiled as she cupped Ariel's chin lovingly, and stroked her lower lip with her heinous black thumb. "You have a most beautiful singing voice, as that is your best quality, it's your voice I will take!"

Ariel couldn’t believe her ears. "But without my voice, how will I communicate with him or anyone else?"

"You'll have your eyes, surely a beautiful young thing like yourself can express how you feel with those deep blue eyes?" Vanessa laughed. "But...I was once greatly aided by your mother, and I've never forgotten how she was there for me. And now I have her daughter here, so I'll give you a special three for one deal. I get your voice, you get the potion, and these two powerful charms."  
She hands Ariel a gold musical note necklace, and a silver, scallop shell shaped hair pin.

"The necklace will bring your words to life, whenever you think of speaking, the words will appear in gold dust before you for others to see. While the hairpin, transforms into an indestructible trident, sorta like your fathers. Though you can't magically CALL your trident, or fly around with it the way your father can with his. It will release blasts of energy like his, and you will be able to control water with it, and even turn water into a very powerful healing water. In case you, or your Samurai are injured." She reaches forward to put the hairpin in Ariel's hair, and the necklace around her throat. "Well, out with it then, it's your voice, or nothing, dearie! Because after three days I can't help you for a full year."

There was no sacrifice too great, no risk dangerous for the human she loved. Ariel had been quiet for a moment, mulling over the other female's words then answered firmly: "Agreed. We have an accord."

With that, Vanessa suddenly grabbed Ariel by the throat, and when Ariel opened her mouth in shock, Vanessa stabbed her other hand into Ariel's mouth, and yanked something out. Ariel swam back, clutching her throat in pain, and opened her eyes to see Vanessa holding a glowing, gold orb in her hands. She pulled her hands apart, and held the ball between her index finger and thumbs fingernails.

~ _Ah-ah-ahhh-ahhh-ah_ ~

The redhead's eyes widened in horror, it was her own voice was singing from the orb, and when she opened her mouth to speak nothing came out.

A glass music box appears, and Vanessa drops the orb into so the whole music box glows golden, singing with Ariel's voice. "There, now we swim ashore, and at dawn tomorrow, I will begin the spell to transform you into a human."

Ariel nods once, takes the items then lowers herself into the water. She was glad that this time she left a note for her family. Hopefully by then she'd have found Jack or anyone of her other friends she'd made on the surface.

However as Vanessa is guiding Ariel to the nearest shore they pass by a decapitated robot head that's surprisingly still active underwater. It's jaw drops in surprise. "Whoa! Wait, a sec! That's THE mermaid!"  
  
Ariel pauses momentarily at his words but Vanessa gently takes her by the arm saying, "Ignore him and just keep swimming. Don't make eye contact with that schmuck."  
  
She recognized that cheeky voice anywhere - it's Scaramouche, one of Aku's assassins.  
  
As soon as Ariel was a good distance away, Vanessa gave the head a stink eye, and with a wave of her hand, a tendril of water shot out of the water and whipped the head into the air, far, far away.

_**To be continued...** _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Vanessa the Dark spectre Queen belongs to deviant-artist bbb35.


	5. As long as there's a moon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ariel gains her legs, meets Ashi and they embark on the search for Samurai Jack meeting many of those he'd helped.

Ashi recalls how she found the scale that day by the water. It was a bright green, much too big to belong to a common fish. That’s when she remembered what her mother explained to her and her sisters about the merpeople that lived in the sea. Some stories depicted mermaids as perilous creatures or shy and benevolent, bestowing boons or falling in love with humans. They were told that one of these elusive ocean maidens was a precious treasure to their lord Master; once the Samurai is disposed of – or so they were ordered – they were to fetch this particular mermaid with an euphonious voice.

Knowing what she knew now, she understands that this command was much more inconceivable than the first. Who knows what dreadful fate would’ve been in store for the mermaid had they actually been successful?

Ashi had awakened half an hour before daybreak from her rest. As she was walked close to a shoal, she senses she’s not alone. Following her instincts, she dives behind the rocks and what she sees emerging from the sea water took her breath away.

First it was bubbles, the cause was from what she first thought was a young woman with flowing hair as red blood rise up. Then to her astonishment, she saw it wasn’t a human girl at all…it was a mermaid! Her fin was a brilliant green – like the scale she’d found.

She watched entranced to see a genuine sea maiden just several paces from her. The sun had begun to rise, just as the light reached the mermaid – the half-woman half-fish began writhing in visible torment, but from what?

Next a large jet of water engulfed the ocean being in a bubble. The flashes of light had caused Ashi to shield her eyes several times. From what she could see within, the long fin was ripped in two before at least two more flashes turn the raw remainders into human legs.

Just as sudden as it started, it finished. The human-turned mermaid fell back on the sand.

For what felt like a long time, Ashi was astonished, she didn’t know what just happened or why. A part of her felt it best to leave well enough alone, but another part of her was greatly intrigued. Perhaps if she spoke to her she could find the Samurai…

-*-

Once Ariel reached the shore, she laid back on the sand and waits. Then as the sun’s rays hit her body, a sharp stabbing pain shot through her form. She tried to scream, but could make no sound. As the water of the ocean shot out, and engulfed her in a large water bubble, which began to glow and flash with bright purple and golden light.

When the bubble popped, she fell back to the sand, the necklace around her neck and her hairpin fitted in her hair. But before losing consciousness, she looked down to where her fin would be. Instead saw she had legs, and was wearing a mid-length green skirt. Then, her head dropped to the sand and she knew no more.

Minutes later, Ariel began to stir when she heard footsteps approaching. Slow, almost hesitant.

"Are you...alright?" A voice asked cautiously.

Ariel raised her head, and saw a tall girl, her whole body from the neck down covered in black substance, standing over her.

"Who...or what are you? Do you… need any help?" Ashi asked.

Ariel nodded her head, and reached up to Ashi, who after a slight pause took Ariel's hand. But when she pulled the other woman to her feet, the redhead fell against her with a silent cry of pain. For a sharp pain had stabbed into the sole of her feet, cramping her legs.

"What's wrong?" Ashi cried out in alarm.

~My legs. My legs...~ Ariel then remembered how she gave her voice to the Dark Spectre Queen. But as she tried to talk, her necklace glowed, and the words she meant to speak appeared in golden letters.

Ariel blinked even as she saw the small gold words forming. Perhaps it was the magic or perhaps the other girl was self-taught, yet Ashi saw the words and eerily enough, she understood what they said.

The other girl stared then inquired, "What's wrong with your legs?"

Ariel suddenly remembered her necklace given to her, and sighed in relief as it would make explaining things without a voice easier.

~I traded my voice to the Dark Spectre Queen of the Ocean for legs. But every step I take will feel like I'm walking on knives~ Ariel was again surprised with the words appearing, and disappearing into a misty spray when the girl finished reading them.

"But why? What could be worth trading away your voice  to gain legs?" Ashi’s eyes widened slightly.

The idea of willing to be in such pain left her rather scandalized.

~For him...for my Samurai Jack~ Ariel didn't know why she was confessing to this stranger, maybe it was cause of the sharp pain in her feet; but she felt like getting it all out.

"You've met him before?" Ashi asked in mild surprise.

Ariel nodded.

"I am his friend as well." Ashi explained. "He has suddenly gone missing after we saved these children...but I do not know where he went. Do you perhaps wish to come with me to find him?"

Ariel took the other girl's hands diligently while nodding. ~Yes, please, I must find him!~

"I am Ashi...what is your name?" Ashi asked.

~Ariel...~ the little mermaid answered.

Ashi nodded, and held onto Ariel's hands as the former little mermaid struggled to walk, and Ashi felt a sympathetic twinge in her heart every time Ariel winced as she took a step. But Ariel kept at it, and before an hour passes Ariel was able to ignore the pain, and the two set off.

\--*--

It took three days, but Ariel was able to learn how to walk again with Ashi's help, and at first it was assumed she would need to learn to use her hairpin weapon, but Ariel demonstrated to Ashi she was able to use her trident with fluid grace and skill. Due to her years of training with the wild mermaids of White Cap bay.

The two sought out Jack where ever they went, bartering some clothes for Ariel along the way – the mermaid eventually settling for a simple blue kimono type dress that reached her shins. They'd ask wherever they went but it seemed to be a fruitless search, now the two women were currently on an airship.

As Ashi and Ariel looked down on the endless expanse of forest, they found the beauty was tainted by the fact Jack was not there with them. Ashi had asked Ariel how she knew the Samurai, and with the aid of her necklace, Ariel told her the story.

But they were being watched by two figure in cloaks.

"Are you sure they're the ones?" The one figure asked.

"Yes, I specifically saw the one in black asking about him," The other said. "And the red haired one was talking about her, sorta...she didn't speak out loud. But the words appeared like magic."

"Aku's bounty hunter?" The other asked confused.

"I sense her evil," The other explained. "But....the other one seems pure, not at all corrupted as the other."

"Maybe she's got the red haired one hostage!" The other exclaimed in fear.

The two figures backed up towards the two women from opposite side in the attempt to ambush them but Ashi leapt out of reach while Ariel stumbled away.

"Step away from the young girl, Minion of Aku!" The one guy spoke.

"We will not let you hurt the samurai!" The other said.

"Hurt?" Ashi exclaimed.

A large golden ~No!~ appeared between Ashi and the two large figures.

Ariel rushed between them, shaking her head wildly, her golden musical note necklace glowing brightly as the words appeared.

~She's not trying to hurt him, or me. She and I are on the search for him. He could be in danger~

"You are his friends?" The one figure said getting close to Ariel's face, she leaned back. But was used to this kinda thing from Scuttle, long before he died.

~Yes, I mean...I am...more~ Ariel turned with a blush, and Ashi looked confused.

"Well, we are his friends." And they pulled back their hoods, revealing red, and pachyderm like faces with baboon like noses. The woolies was the name of their species.

"It was long ago...we were slaves." The first woolie said.

They told the women that many years ago, small but rather nasty aliens called the Chritchellites landed in the Woolies region of the world and shortly turned their peaceful society from an idealistic agricultural community into a slave empire. But then Samurai Jack arrived and put a stop to it, freeing the woolies from oppression.

"He risked his life to save ours." The woolie stated in reverence.

~Yes, that sounds just like, Jack~ Ariel said with a soft smile, hands clasped together in front of her.

"Miss?" The airship conductor comes up to Ashi. "The Bearded Fellow you asked about. He got off here."

Ashi and Ariel look alert after hearing this, then Ashi grabs Ariel by the hand and brings her up to the ledge of the window.

~Wha...Ashi?~

"Thank you for sharing your story," Ashi said to the Woolies. "Come Ariel, we keep on looking."

~Wait. I don’t have the power of Fliiiiiiiiight!!!!~

Ariel's golden words seemed to fall down through the air after Ariel, as she and Ashi go down. But Ashi still had her chain-scythe, and the two were able to land safely in the forest.

~Wow, you're quite an acrobat!~ Ariel smiled in relief.

"Thank you." Ashi nodded.

They walked several feet ahead when suddenly Ashi heard something.

The two stiffened when several hundred of damaged bug-bots scuttled their way, Ashi quickly pulled Ariel behind a tree, as the various smoking bots passed by. When two bots slowed down to turn to raise their sickles, Ariel quickly pulled out her hairpin from her hair. And immediately, blasted both bots with her trident to Ashi's amazement.

"Incredible. Another gift from the Dark Spectre Queen?" Ashi asked.

Ariel nodded, and looked as three figures stepped out of the smoke, obviously the three men who had attacked the other bots. As one arrow embedded itself into the tree bark near Ashi's head.

"If you are one of Aku's minions, we suggest you run." warned the one Archer.

~Wait! We mean no harm.~ Ariel waved her arms as the words became larger and brighter to get the archers attention.

"What is this?" One archer asked in confusion.

~Aku is my enemy, and I would never side with him~ Ariel looked at the trident in her hand, nervous that it would intimidate the archers. But in a flash it returned to a hairpin. ~A dear old...acquaintance of mine, Samurai Jack has gone missing. And we fear he's in danger~

Ashi was waved over to Ariel's side, her hands raised to show she meant no harm.

One of the archers approached, then he extended his hand to them. "A friend of Samurai Jack is a friend of ours, come."

The three lead the two women through the forest; both were staring at the archers. Where were they taking them?

The two girls were led to a large mountain, made out to be an expansive village with others of the Archer's kind living. Small children playing, villagers doing chores and so forth. There, Ashi and Ariel were given food and drink, and then told them the story of how they'd encountered Samurai Jack.

"None of this would exist, if it weren't for him." The one archer explained.

He showed them a statue of Jack, of how he looked many years ago. It was covered in colorful moss, had a garden around its base and hundreds of butterflies fluttering around its head. But that didn't distract from its beauty, the wonder, and the awe of it.

Ashi gazed in amazement.

Ariel looked at it with love, and longing, she stepped forward and placed her hand on the stone. And wrapped her arms around it. Pretending for a moment, she had her arms around Jack.

"Is she alright?" The other Archer asked.

"I'm not sure." Ashi answered. "But she seems to want to find the Samurai more than even me. She was once a mermaid."

"A mermaid!?" The archer exclaimed in surprise. "From the sea...then her legs?"

"A part of a bargain..." Ashi turned to look at Ariel, and felt a tugging at her heart for the little mermaid who continued embracing the statue.

"She said she sold her voice to someone called, ‘The Dark Spectre Queen’ for her legs." Ashi explained.

"Ah....we know of her," The Archer nodded solemnly. "She is a wish granter, and helps out anyone in need. She is powerful. Some claim her to be as powerful as the Deliverer of Darkness."

Ashi looked surprised at that.

"We came to this mountain, when we paid our respect to one of her shrines. And were lead here by one of her seagulls. At first we were wary, we've had...bad experience with 'wish granting' beings." The Archer then started to explain. "We were once cursed."

He told them of how an ancient well had robbed them of their sight, minds, and free will, turning them into a cursed well’s rodent guardians. The Samurai defeated them and the liberated Archers warned him about how the well granted their wish, but at a terrible price. To ensure this didn't happen to anyone else, Jack destroyed the well and went on his way. Truly an act of unmeasurable sacrifice.

Ariel smiled and nodded to the archers with a gentle smile.

"Later we learned that the curse was of Aku's doing." The Archer said grimly.

Ariel silently gasped, while Ashi looked solemn as though thinking things through. "Have you seen him? Has he passed through here?"

~Oh please tell us!~ Ariel pleaded.

The Archer briefly raised an eyebrow at the golden letters, but took it in stride.

"No, he has not." The Archer walked up to Ariel, and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "But....you’re in with love him, aren't you?"

Ariel blushed and turned her face, but nodded her head, causing Ashi to gape.

"Well, in our own way we love him for what he's done for us. And now, we fight against Aku. So, if the samurai ever has need of us. We will come."

Ariel turned with a radiant smile. ~Thank you~

**_To be continued…_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Done in an RP with bbb35. Fun fact: each chapter title is the name of a song.


	6. One step closer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Triton finds Ariel's letter, while Ariel and Ashi search for Jack.

It was centuries ago, he wasn’t there when his Great Grandfather Neptune confronted the infamous Deliverer of Darkness. But the written accounts by the scribes mentioned it in great detail.

After he and his youngest child bid the human warriors farewell, that same afternoon several ocean friends – Urchin, Simon and Little E had been returning from a trip each one describing encounters with Aku’s forces before arriving to Atlantica. When they saw the damage they asked what had happened.

Triton gathered his daughters into the throne room with their friends present. There he read them the memoirs written centuries ago the first time Aku had tried to conquer Atlantica.

It had begun as an average summer morning, nothing unusual except according got eyewitness reports they spotted a dark manta ray that seemed a little off. Others claimed it circled the palace at least twice that was when the day of horror began. Granted, Neptune fought him off yet from that moment on, the merpeople had bigger reason to avoid the surface.

When Ariel didn’t show up for breakfast he didn’t think too much of it, it wasn’t until her sisters told him no one has seen her since the previous evening.

This wasn’t the first time Ariel hadn’t come home. The first was when she’d gotten a human bracelet stuck to her arm, the second was after a heated argument where he'd ended up destroying her collection of human objects and she’d rashly gone to the surface seeking to become human to prove him wrong; an entire year had gone by before they saw her again and it was under frightening circumstances.

Andrina suddenly came back with a sealed letter from Ariel, she said she found it on the bed. He opened it, the letter began with an explanation for what she intended to do and why, the next part said that she would find some way to let them know she was safe.

No doubt he feared greatly for his youngest daughter’s safety, but this time he would have to put his trust in her and that this Dark Spectre Queen would aid her.

-*-

Meanwhile, the two women kept on searching, eventually ending up at a rave in the forest, where it was revealed all the people there were, or were the kids, of teenagers once brainwashed by a minion of Aku. Even the DJ herself was one of the children.

The music played made Ariel dance to the rhythm, enjoying the sensation and forgetting her fear for a while. Though it was agony, and with no voice to cry out with Ariel kept dancing. Everyone was in awe of her movements, the grace and beauty of the motions were like a fish in the water. She eventually collapsed and Ashi had to help her up, and carry her for a while to relieve the pain in the ex-mermaid's feet.

As the two made their way further in their journey, Ariel was eventually put back down to her feet after an hour or so. Ariel thanked Ashi, and they continued.

They soon came to a large tropical glen, and there a waterfall fell into a large pool. Ariel sat down next to it, dipping her feet into the water. With relief she felt the aches and pains of her feet fade away in the water, as she did she looked up to see Ashi staring at her reflection in the pool with a haunted expression.

~Ashi?~ Ariel's concerned words appeared in front of her face, causing Ashi to snap out of it.

"I'm fine I...." She holds up her blackened hands. "I just....this isn't a suit. It’s my own skin...charred by hot coals as a child."

Ariel looked sickened by Ashi's confession, and felt saddened by the poor girl's fate. As she thought of what she could do, she remembered the words of Vanessa.

_"With the trident you can control water as your father does, you can even use the water to heal yourself and others of any disease or injury."_

~Go in the water~ Ariel instructed her with her necklace.

"Huh? Why?" Ashi asked.

~I can help you...get rid of...this~ Ariel told her gesturing to her blackened body.

Ashi looked unsure at first, but the earnest expression in Ariel's eyes, had Ashi diving into the water.

Ariel pulled out her hair-pin, which transformed in a flash, and Ariel lowered it into the water, it began to glow with bright purple energy. And as Ariel stirred the water with the trident, the water began to sparkle and glow. Ashi looked alarmed, but a calm and relaxed expression came over her face, as she sank under the water. When Ariel stopped stirring the water, Ashi burst out of the water, laughing with joy. For the black substance was gone from her body.

Ashi emerged from the water, shaking her head and smoothing out her hair except she was in need of clothing. With Ariel's assistance, they both worked on an outfit made from the lush foliage around them. Now Ashi's life can truly begin.

Soon it was raining and the two girls arrive at a tavern to get out of the rain. When they ask the bartender (revealed to be an older Da Samurai) where to find Jack, he feigns hearing loss until Ashi blurts out the truth a little too loudly, causing all the tavern's patrons to gang up on them. To the girls' surprise, the customers only share their battle scars – many of them worse for the wear- and agree that Jack is the best warrior in the world then Da Samurai tells them the story of the time he met Jack and decided to change his ways afterwards, eventually becoming the bartender of the tavern where they first met.

"I have returned!"

The door had suddenly burst open to reveal a nefarious looking being: the crown of his head bubbling like a black and blue lava lamp, with blue flames at the tip of his head and glowing blue eyes.

"I Demongo, have come to collect the souls of..." Demongo is cut off when Ariel makes her way through the group.

She looks stunned to see Demongo, and he as well to see her.

"Oh....my dear, Little Mermaid. It's lovely to see you again," Demongo looks her up and down. "Although, not a mermaid anymore, are you?"

The other customers whispered to one another in either shock of disbelief at the word ‘mermaid’.

~No, and I'm happy to see you free. Are you happy?~ Ariel asked, her magical subtitles startling him a bit.

"Oh yes, quite happy, and....seeing someone. I'd ask if you and the Samurai were still together," Demongo stares at her necklace. "But if you were, you wouldn't be trading your voice to certain Sorceresses, would you now?"

Ariel put her hand up to briefly touch her charm, but when she looked up, Demongo had already turned and left the tavern.

The Bartender let out a low whistle, "We got some straight up freaks coming to this place."

"How did he know you?" Ashi whispers to Ariel, not noticing how the patrons and even the bartender were curiously trying to listen in.

~It's a long story, I was once...imprisoned. By Aku, and Demongo was a fellow prisoner, I soothed him with my singing and company. Even for the short while I was there, and I hoped he had escaped~ Ariel explained to Ashi.

Fortunately, the letters that appeared were gibberish to them, but clear and understandable to Ashi.

"I see...and why was Demongo imprisoned?" Ashi asked.

~He told me he'd failed in his mission and was at first banished but during his time in exile...he'd gone against his nature because he'd fallen in love with a mortal.~

Ashi blinked. That WAS extraordinary.

The girls then left the tavern when something beckoned them from the long grass. It was dark, but whatever called out to them had large eyes and tells them they can find Jack by traveling north.

Quickly, they headed to where they’d been instructed, through the forest finding themselves going down stone steps until they reached a graveyard. Tensely, they walked in, glancing left and right to be prepared for anything. That’s when they saw him.

Ariel had felt her heart soar on seeing Jack, but was startled when her path and Ashi’s was cut off by a mysterious figure.

" _You may witness but you may not proceed any further_."

"Witness what?"

" _The end_."

They were shocked at the sight of the un-dead warrior, and even more by the sight of the ghostly samurai's. Spirits of long dead past warriors, and when the undead warrior hovered behind Jack slowly pulling out his sword.

 _"Great warriors of past, I welcome you. This samurai has failed his purpose, and has accepted his fate."_ The ghostly warrior declared as he held the sword up as if to strike Jack.

But even more alarming, was when Jack picked up a tanto dagger laid out before him, and looked ready to stab himself with it.

~JACK, NO!!~ Ariel's horrified words flashed brightly in front of Jack, but his eyes remained shut, and without her voice he could not know it was she.

"Stoooooooop!!" Ashi's voice was the only one heard. And she jumped forward to stop Jack, but the warrior slapped her back, sending her and the words of Ariel away.

Ashi fell crashing into a gravestone, Ariel rushed to her side, despite the pain of walking, and the stones on her bare feet.

" _This does not concern you_ ," warned the Ghost Samurai.

"~NO~"

The ghost Samurai stopped when both Ariel's word and Ashi's word cut through the gloom and silence.

"Hope lives." Ashi said.

~It's everywhere~

"We've seen it, everyone you have touched." Ashi reached out beckoning to Jack. "Is Ariel not proof enough, if she would come all the way here to save you, all the way from the sea?" She cried out.

Jack's eyes snapped open in shock, and gazed at the beautiful red head in disbelief. She looked almost the same as when they parted ways, but her eyes showed the wisdom of the years gone by. It took his breath away.

"A-Ariel?" Jack asked, voice rough from not speaking for days.

Ariel wanted to scream out to him in desperation. 

The Ghost Samurai, seeing Jack falter and open his eyes, lunged at the two women. Ariel pulled out her hair pin-trident, and blocked several blows, and Ashi delivered several kicks, and encouraging words.

"Don't listen to him, Jack. You’re being misguided, I've seen it. Ariel and I both have, you've saved countless innocents. And most of all, you showed ME the truth!"

The phantom managed to knock the trident out of Ariel's hand, and it flew, the blunt side striking Ashi in the head. She flew away, and Ariel went to help her, but the ghost samurai grabbed her by the hair and tosses her against a gravestone, knocking her out cold.

" _You do not deserve her. Death follows in your wake_..." The apparition tormented Jack, " _Men, women and children_..."

Jack closed his eyes in grief.

" _Yes, all those children dead because of you_!"

Ashi had been crawling out of the rubble while Ariel groaned and her eyes shot open just hearing the phantom's words. The children they'd saved, he thought they died? Is that what this was all about?

"No, the children...." Ashi cried out, "They're alive! You saved them!"

The phantom had had enough, " _No more words_!"

~Ashi!~ Ariel's eyes widened seeing the ghostly apparition lunge towards her.

"You made me so much more then what I was, the hope you gave me saved my life!" Ashi cried out as she turned her head expecting the blow.

To her shock, the strike never came, and when she looked up, Jack had block the sword strike with the dagger he held before. He rebuked the apparition, and fought it, and soon sliced in half. And the spirit was gone, disappeared. The four other spirits took their leave, slowly sinking back into their gravestones.

Jack turned back to look at Ashi, surprised by her appearance, though not as much as he had been by Ariel's.

"I...like your hair, and dress." Jack complimented kindly.

Ashi smiled back at him, and stood to her feet. Jack quickly looked around and spotted Ariel, trying to stand but still disoriented. And the 'walking on knives' sensation wasn't helping any either.

"Ariel..." Jack gasped in awe. He rushed to her side, and swept her up into a tight hug, spinning her around.

And though Ariel couldn't laugh, the joy showed on her face, and she wrapped her arms around Jack's neck. Ashi watched, a little awkward around such displays of affection, but recognizing the action from the two horned creature and the hornless one in the forest. Was this a sign of loyalty, of this 'love?' It confused her, but she couldn't help feeling happy to see it. And that gentle smile on Jack's face as well, it left her breathless.

"I did not think I would ever see you again." Jack whispered into her hair as he held her to himself. "But..."

He pulled back and looked down at her body clothed in a simple blue kimono, and her bare feet on the ground.

"How...how did you come to acquire legs again?" Jack asked.

Ariel smiled and opened her mouth to say, ~Oh, Jack. I couldn't stand not being by your side...~

But when Jack's eyes widened on seeing the gold letters appear, instead of hearing Ariel speak, she put a hand over her throat with a sad expression. Remembering her deal with Vanessa. ~I was worried sick the few times I caught a glimpse of you on the surface. ~ Her words explained ~Then when you were attacked and had fallen wounded into the river...~

"That was you?" he'd gasped.

She nodded.

"I thought I had been dreaming in my delirium." The Samurai admitted quietly.

"So...she saved Jack when he fell into the river." Ashi said softly to herself.

"But...you have legs, and what are these words that appear, why do you not speak to me?" Jack asked concerned and worried.

Ariel looked down, and tried to look away, but Jack gently cupped her chin and turned her to look at him.

"Please...tell me, I have had enough worry, doubt and sadness. Do not make me worry more." Jack pleaded gently.

Ariel shut her eyes, and pressed his hand to her cheek, and rubbed her cheek against his palm, before sighing.

~I had to get to you. So, I went to the Dark Spectre Queen of the Ocean, an immensely powerful sorceress.~ Ariel explains. ~I traded my voice to her, so I could have legs once again.~

Ariel's words, which appeared as Kanji to Jack, cause him to gasp in shock. She gave up her voice, Jack was never to hear her speak his name, or hear her sing beautiful melodies again?

"Oh Ariel, you should not have....I am not worthy." Jack said taking her hands in his own with a sad, heartbroken expression.

Ariel shook her head, and placed her hands on his chest.

~Yes, you are. You’re the most honorable, great, sweet, kind, loving and noble soul I know~ Ariel told him. ~My voice...it meant nothing, if it meant I could not be with you.~

"I do not understand this...love. But I do know she is devoted to you, Jack." Ashi spoke up in Ariel's defense. "She never wavered in our search to find you."

Ashi looked down at Ariel's feet rather guiltily. "Even though, Ariel told me she was warned that every step she took, would be like stepping on knives." Ashi said bluntly, without realizing Ariel didn't want Jack to hear that part.

What Ashi mistakenly revealed made Jack feel as though he were drenched in icy water. He couldn't even imagine the pains she went through to find him.

"All of this...just to find me," Jack said kneeling to pick her up bridal style. "I know, it's a long journey. But at least part way, since you've shown such devotion, and put up with such pain. Let me relieve of it for a little while."

Ariel blushed, but held onto Jack, and Ashi looked at them with a warm smile.

"I've never thought I would know joy again. Despite... how you did it, having you here in my arms once more fills me with hope." Jack said looking determined.

"And what will you do with your hope?" Ashi asked.

Jack shut his eyes briefly, then opened them again.

"It’s time to find my sword," Jack stated.

_**To be continued…** _


	7. Such elaborate lives

They traveled on and found transportation with the help of a large albino kestrel. Ariel felt a small twinge of nostalgia remembering Scuttle and gentle nuzzling of the bird reminded her of Spot the baby killer whale. Along the way, Jack tells them the story of how he lost the sword time ago.

He’d walked to the top of a mountain accompanied by three little purple rams, upon arriving, one led Jack to the time portal. He immediately jumped in, only to be literally pulled back by Aku, who proceeded to destroy the portal with his eye beams when Jack attempted to use it again. To add more frustration the demon taunted him with the knowledge that it was the last time portal in existence. Overcome with anger, Jack lashed out at Aku, who spitefully mutated the three rams into monstrous forms to ‘play with’ the Samurai before escaping. Jack fought and killed the corrupted rams, only to lose his sword in the process, perched precariously over the pit where the portal once stood. When the dead rams reverted to their original forms, Jack realized he had spilled innocent blood to his horror. A collapsing pillar fell and he leapt away to avoid it. But the resulting tremor caused the sword to fall into the pit.

"And so, I was not able to find it again." Jack finished the tale, he looked haunted by the memory.

Ariel put a hand to her mouth in commiseration. That explains why he’d looked so despondent the few times she saw him before they were reunited.

In the meantime Ashi had a pending question for Ariel.

"Why is it...though you've known him for over fifty years," Ashi asked. "You seem only to be a few years older than me?"

~The merpeople can live for three hundred years, maybe four hundred if lucky.~ Ariel's glowing words answered for her. ~Fifty years is barely out of our teenage years for my kind, as though when we die we become foam on the waves~

Ashi looked surprised at hearing that, a race that just disappears when killed or when their life span ends?

The human turned mermaid looks up to the sky wistfully, and Ashi followed her gaze, as the sun shined down through a passing cloud giving a heavenly appearance.

~But we have immortal souls, just as the humans and other sentient beings do. Though it was not always so, but now we have our lifespans and our souls. So, when we die we rise up from the Ocean, and live forever in radiant splendor, and golden paradise in worlds unseen to man~ Ariel winked impishly. ~Or, that is how my old Aunt used to tell it to me and my sisters.~

"Will the wonders never cease?" Ashi said in amazement, admiring the sky.

~The surface is full of much more wonders than you imagine~ Ariel replied with a smile, ~Even if my first experience had been intended as a trap, I feel fortunate for experiencing the world above the waves, and now here I am seeing it once more.~

"I know so little of the world itself, forced to train for killing by our 'mother' and what we heard were only lies. I don't know what's true." Ashi exclaimed.

~Do not worry, if you stay with Jack and Me, we'll make sure the stuff you had withheld from you is told. Or at least as much as we know, we will tell you~

Ashi smiled at Ariel, but frowned at the charm around her neck.

"Are you really to be mute forever?" Ashi asked. "Is there no way that you could...I don't know, get your voice back?"

Ariel held the golden musical note between her fingers with a furtive expression. ~I don't know. I didn't think to ask HER, but I have heard she is fair. But I can't think of what would be precious enough to trade for my voice. And I can't make any more deals with her for a full year~

They arrived to the mountain then descended into the gaping crevasse. When they began to search the bottom of the pit, they were surprised when Ariel's necklace start glowing, and from the clef shaped necklace a ball of golden light. And soon, they were able to see the entire pit.

"Wow. That necklace sure comes in handy," Ashi exclaimed. "Did you have it before as a mermaid?"

Ariel shook her head, and looked at the necklace in amazement. ~The Dark Spectre Queen of the Ocean gave it to me...she said...my mother had done her a very kind service. And she'd been looking for a way to repay her~

Jack looked at her thoughtfully. "So, she gave you that necklace, and that hair-pin I assume?"

Ariel nodded.

"A fair trade. Yet if she wanted to repay your mother," Jack looked a little upset. "She could've turned you human without taking your voice."

Ariel looked a little conflicted, and Ashi cut in.

"We'll figure something out, for now we need to find your sword." Ashi said.

Jack nodded, and the trio continued searching for hours. Finally they reached the bottom. To Jack's horror, he found the skeletons of the goats he had unknowingly murdered. He shut his eyes tight, and looked pained. But a soft hand on the shoulder, revealed to be Ariel, cut him out of the grief. She nodded towards the bones, and gave him a small smile to comfort him. Jack pressed his hand against hers, took a deep breath and came to a conclusion.

"I realize now, that I did not lose the sword." He opened his eyes with a sad expression. "The sword left me."

Ashi looked a little alarmed.

~Is there a way to find it somehow?~ Ariel inquired.

They rose up on the giant bird once more to the top, they climbed off and thanked it. When the girls said theirs the avian nuzzled them each with low cooing sounds before flying away.

Jack explains he will meditate, and through his inner self, traverse the astral plane for a solution.

"We'll go with you." Ashi offered.

"You cannot. This is something I must do on my own." He smiles softly at the two. "But...now that you won't be searching for me. This gives you two a chance to talk, and learn about each other."

And Jack turned and went into the lotus position near the edge of the cliff.

"Okay, we'll just...wait here." Ashi said turning to Ariel. "Is he always this vague?"

Ariel nodded her head with a sheepish smile. The two girls sat down close by to talk while they waited.

"Tell me about the sea kingdom." Ashi asked, "What is it like down there?"

~It's beautiful. It's so far away, deeper than any ship's anchor can reach. And the fish swim through our windows like birds, and quite a few of them I'm good friends with~ Ariel looked nostalgic. ~I loved exploring the Ocean, I had...what my father called: 'wander-lust'. A need for adventure. But when you live as long as my kind do, and being a princess of Atlantica..~

"You’re a princess!?" Ashi asked in surprise.

~Why else would the Dark Spectre Queen give to me a trident made in image similar to that of my Father as one of these particular gifts?~ Ariel showed it to Ashi with a self-conscious blush, ~I've seen my father wield the family trident to do many things. Some were great, others...not so much.~

She silently sighed remembering how he'd destroyed many of the human objects she'd collected in her grotto five decades ago. It was that very incident that gave her the impulsive motivation to become human and prove him wrong.

"Astonishing. And is your trident like his?" Ashi asked.

~Oh, no. Father could do much more than me, control the whole Ocean if he wanted to...the waters and its denizens~ Ariel elaborated. ~Even Aku feared my father's trident, only it and Jack's sword could harm that evil demon~ Ariel said with a bitter frown and creased mouth.

"And your other family?" Ashi asked to change the subject.

Ariel beamed with a happy smile.

~My sisters, I have six in all.~ Ariel gladly told Ashi, whose eyes widened.

"Oh, we have more in common than I thought." Ashi remarked.

~In what?~ Ariel asked in bright curiosity.

"I too have sisters - well used to anyway."

~Used to?~ Ariel looked confused.

Ashi looked toward Jack with a sad expression.

"We were born...for one purpose. To kill Jack." Ashi explained.

Ariel covered her mouth in shock, obviously thinking she was stifling a gasp, but had no voice to cry out with anymore.

"I'm the only one left." Ashi then turned to Ariel with a panicked expression. "But I don't hate him, he had no choice! And it was all we knew, so we relentless pursued him...I'm grateful to be alive. To live, to have hope, and to live for my sisters. I will do all I can, enjoy all there is in their places. And they won't be dead...not as long as I remember them."

The ex-mermaid pulled Ashi into a tight hug, and to Ariel's surprise tears started to fall from her eyes. Being a mermaid, they did not cry tears since they live underwater, so their sadness was always deeper. But now they spilled, and Ashi hugged her back tighter, letting out a few tears of her own as she and Ariel hugged for a long while.

The sun was already a few hours from setting as the girls continued their conversation. Each sharing some secrets, and the occasional questions to simple things. In Ariel’s case human things, and Ashi things she'd seen on the surface world, even making the younger woman laugh with the names Scuttle had used for common everyday objects.

"Were you alone the first time you became human?"

~At first~ Ariel answered, ~I didn't know it then, but my friends Sebastian and Scuttle had followed me from Atlantica. Flounder wanted to but there was no water for him to trail. I stayed with a farming family for a few weeks and had hoped to help them with the county fair but....~

Ashi looked at Ariel with a furtive look.

~We were attacked...by Aku~ Ariel said with a sad sigh.

Ashi looked stricken with trepidation.

"You saw the Shogun of Sorrow himself?" Ashi gasped in shock. Something her mother longed to happen, and it was bestowed upon the mermaid. Though, Ashi sees clearly it wasn't the blessing she and her sisters were made to believe.

~I thought I was the only survivor....~ Ariel rubbed her eyes. ~I never figured out what happened to the others, on my mermaid instincts I ran. As far into the woods as I could. And I'm grateful now, that I was able to run so fast. When I met Jack many months later, we found a slave camp where the farmer and his family were held captive – we freed them and the other slaves so they could escape to a hidden sanctuary. Turns out they thought I’d perished in the invasion and were very much relieved to see me alive and well. Unlike now, it didn't feel like walking on knives when I was human then.~ Ariel looked at Ashi. ~In fact, every time I got wet with water my tail would grow back~

Ashi looked surprised. "Then, you didn't go to the Dark Spectre Queen for the first transformation?"

~No~ Ariel shook her head and visibly paled. ~No, it was actually Aku's doing, he had me turned human. At least for a year with a magic potion. His plan was to capture me and use me as a hostage for my father's trident. I had gone to a hermit in a swamp for the potion, not knowing it was Aku in disguise at the time~

"He is the master of deception." Ashi said crossing her arms with a frown.

~He kept attacking wherever I went to drive me further from the sea.~ Ariel closed her eyes tightly in remembrance.

He’d known how young, curious and trusting the little mermaid was of the surface world and took shameless advantage of it for his own wicked ends.

~I just wish I had the hair-pin I do now, when I was there then. Maybe I could've fought him off~ Ariel said with a thoughtful expression.

"Don’t let it sadden you, Ariel." Ashi said putting a hand on her shoulder. "You’re here now, and well-armed from the looks of it. And you have me and Jack, and I feel this 'Vanessa' might be keeping an eye on you. And won't let Aku get near you again, if what she said is true."

Ariel nodded. And perhaps, now that she thinks about it – in some way Vanessa had been doing her a favor. Without her voice, maybe she’d be less of a target for Aku’s corruption.

~I can't think what it was my mother did for her to go to such lengths. But everyone in Atlantica loves my mother, everyone. So, it's not surprising she cared for her. But I never heard Daddy mention it once~

"What was your mother’s name?" Ashi asked.

~Athena~ Ariel smiled wistfully at the memory of her. ~She....died....in an incident...killed by humans~

Ashi gasped.

"And...yet you still wished to come to our world, even after the first trip? And..." She looked back at Jack. "You love Jack, even though he's a human?"

~Not all humans are the same, just as all merfolk aren't the same. We can't all be held responsible for others’ actions. Just as I'm sure Jack doesn't hold you responsible for your mothers.~ Ariel turned to look at Jack with an expression Ashi had come to recognize as loving. ~And I love him, even if it meant giving up all my three hundred years just to spend one whole day in love with him. If it meant spending an eternity in the afterlife paradise with him~

Ashi was amazed, thinking over what she'd learned. Then she happens to glance downwards and saw something that had her stand to attention.

~What is it?~ Ariel questioned then became just as alert when she saw why: an army was marching towards the very mountain they were on. And it sure didn't look like their intentions were good.

 

As the army began to march up the path the word ~STOP!!~ Suddenly appeared in front of them in golden letters, it stopped them in their tracks.

They looked around and spotted the two girls, standing on top of a large rock.

"Where do you think you’re going?" Ashi asked with teeth gritted slightly.

Ariel's hands were balled up next to her sides, ready to whip her hair-pin out of her hair, and transform it into her trident if need be.

"Up the mountain to kill the Samurai, what's it to you two?" The leader of the army asked.

Ariel's chin lifted after hearing those words, and her blue eyes narrowed.

Ashi grabbed Ariel by the waist, and the two jumped to the path in front of the soldiers, making sure Ariel's feet were kept from landing on the ground due to the pain.

"We're going to stop you!" Ashi declared.

That got a snicker, and the whole army started to cackle, guffaw and laugh.

"Hey, why'd we stop?" asked on soldier.

"It's two girls, they say, they're going to stop us." Another answered.

"So two little things like you are gonna stop this whole army?" the lead soldier taunted.

Ariel scowled then whipped out her hairpin which became a trident. She then pointed to some rocks with it; instantly the trident emitted a deep humming sound punctuated with high-pitched melodious tunes as it glowed a deep purple.

A blast was fired causing boulders to break loose and fall or roll towards the army.

"Wow. Not bad." Ashi exclaimed with a big grin.

Ariel smiled with a satisfied smirk. And then, Ashi ran forward and slammed into the remaining soldiers in the path. She shoved them backwards into each other, till they all came out at the bottom of the mountain, and they fell backwards onto the spears of their allies.

Ashi then delivered several punches, kicks and slaps to the faces of the soldiers. When a group lowered their spears at her Ariel looked up at the sky, and lifted up her trident. It let out the melodious sound again and fired a purple beam of magic into the sky, thunder crackled which caused the soldiers to look up.

And bolts of purple lightning shot down from the sky, striking the spear wielding Soldiers. Ashi looked up at Ariel who was making her way down the path, slowly due to her feet, and continued to beat the other soldiers. All the time, Ariel waved her trident and shot out balls of electricity, shot beams of energy, or caused lightning to shoot from the sky onto the army.

Soon the army was defeated. Ashi has blood on her which Ariel offered a cloth to wash off. The mermaid turned away from the carnage, shivering. She didn't really like fighting to the death, she'd been ill the first time she'd been forced to eliminate a dangerous foe whilst training with the infamous mermaids of white cap bay.

However something caught her eye.

~Wait, something moved up there!~ She alerted Ashi.

Ashi and Ariel began to run back to the mountain. Ashi felt her heart pounding, for she recognized the black robes of the figure, but hoped she was wrong. She whistled sharply, and the giant avian from before swooped down. It scooped up Ashi in his talons, and the girl thought Ariel would be left behind, but an energy whip shot from the trident to wrap around her waist. So, now Ariel was being pulled up with her.

"Ariel, how did you do that?" Ashi called down.

~I learned sea-weed whipping from the Mermaids of White Cap Bay,~ Ariel answered. ~I didn't know the Trident could form a whip, but I thought I'd give it a shot.~

Suddenly, the bird screeched in horror, and looking down the two women spotted an arrow being notched to shoot. Ashi gasped, and swung herself and Ariel back and forth, before leaping through the air. Ariel put her feet on the bottom of the fork end of the trident, and held onto it like a pogo-stick. And when its spear tips hit the ground, there wasn't a massive shock, or pain from landing hard. As a purple light spread out like a cushion, thus Ariel landed safely.

In the meantime, Ashi caught the arrow before it hit Jack in the back of his head, and clenched it tight in her hand.

A torrent of arrows then rained down in their direction, nearly catching them by surprise. Ariel zapped a few away while Ashi held up a slab of rock to catch the rest. Once that was out of the way they saw something walking towards them from the mountain mist. It was female dressed all in black with a headdress in the shape of Aku's horns and a mask.

"Mother?"

_**To be continued...** _


	8. Together we can

"Mother?" Ashi said softly.

Ariel silently gasped, then narrowed her eyes at the older woman approaching them.

"I KNEW you would fail us." The woman spat in disgust. "You were the strongest but the most unfocused. Always distracted, _questioning_ everything...but all that can change."

The woman turned her head to Ariel, and she felt the older woman's eyes bore into her, even though the mermaid couldn't see her face. And she tightened her grip on her trident.

"You can still honor our lord father," She points to Ariel. "Especially if you bring him his much sought after treasure."

Ariel took a step back, and Ashi whipped her head at the redhead in shock, why would Aku want her?

"Bring both him both her AND the Samurai's head, and he will reward you beyond all imagination, Ashi." The woman carried on. And she pulled out a dagger, curved and black as the body of the Shogun of Sorrow himself.

"Destroy the Samurai, Ashi. And help me to bring our lord his...' _treasure_.' " She said glancing Ariel's way.

Ariel felt her mermaid heart beat faster in fear, and took several steps back till she was back to Jack's side, the idea of being brought to Aku sent chills down her spine. No, she would rather die before being in his grasp again.

Ashi stared at Ariel, turned to look at the dagger in her mother's hand, and a deep scowl marred her pretty face.

"You think I'd subject this brave, kind, sweet princess to that...that THING!?" Ashi hissed. "I won't do it. And I certainly will not kill Jack!"

Especially now that she knows the truth. Ashi then points to Ariel. "She's cared for me more than YOU ever did. So, why should I do what you say!?" Ashi spoke louder. "After so many years of pain and hurt? You were wrong, about everything. Jack showed me the truth. Ariel showed me kindness and what LOVE looks like."

Ariel beamed happily.

"Then you too shall die, and I'll drag the mermaid by her hair back to the Lord Father if I need to!!" Ashi's mother growled.

She lunged for Ashi, trying to stab her daughter, and Ashi bobbed and weaved. Before she kicked her mother in the gut, sending her rolling away. Her mother rolled on the ground, and looked up, but her ears picked up a low humming sound. And turned to see Ariel hold her silver trident up to her face, the spears aimed at the dark priestess. It was no longer silver, but glowing bright purple. And a bolt of energy shot out of the tips, Ashi's mother jumped out of the way, and the bolt scorched the ground where she laid. She then tossed off her robes, and the second bolt Ariel blasted at the unfit mother set the robes on fire.

Under the robe, Ashi's mother's body was just like her daughters' was before, covered in the blackened skin. Her body was svelte and lithe, but corded tightly with strong muscles. Ariel kept her trident raised at the woman while Ashi ripped the horn off the skull of the dead goat. Both young women kept the lady in black within their sights, murder and contempt in their eyes.

Several times their weapons clashed with one another with the occasional energy-bolts from Ariel's trident.

Ashi and her mother were matched in acrobatic feats then the High priestess caught them off guard to throw the dagger in Jack's direction but Ashi quickly deflects it.

~No, I won’t let you hurt them!~ Ariel declared sternly as she shoved the woman back with her trident.

"You could have everything! You could’ve had your voice AND your legs!" the High priestess addressed the mermaid.

~And live with that disgusting beast?! NEVER!!~ Ariel seemed to shout the last word, and it flashed brightly, causing Ashi's mother to cover her eyes blinded.

Ashi barreled into her mother, and the two rolled onto the ground, trying to triumph over the other. Ariel aimed her trident, but couldn't get a clear shot.

"How could you betray your family?" Ashi's Mother asked incredulously. "HE. KILLED. YOUR. SISTERS!"

Ariel felt herself shake with sadness, she was still coming to grips with what Jack had done, as she too had sisters. And to see them killed and not do anything was truly getting to her.

"And you LET HIM LIVE!!" Ashi's mother hissed.

She got one of her hands freed and it morphed into sharp claws, but Ashi managed to punch her mother off, only to jump back when she started to swipe at her with BOTH of her claws. Ashi ran from her mother, a startled Ariel took a step forward but looked back to Jack, not wanting to leave him alone.

"No! You killed them! We were made for one purpose," Ashi was backed up against a wall. Dodging a claw strike from her mother, and blocking the hand that moved to strike her.

"TO KILL!!" Ashi spat at her mother in rage. "Our fate was sealed the day we were born!"

Her mother kept clawing at her, but Ashi realized it was on purpose, for her mother clawed at the wall to weaken it. And it crumbled on top of her, Ariel gasped and rushed to her side as Ashi's mother jumped over the mermaid turned human.

~ASHI!!~ Ariel's word was large and bright in alarm.

Ariel rushed to help move the rocks off the girl, as Ashi's mother watched her with a disappointed aura.

"The Samurai is our mortal enemy, he must die...at any cost." The dark priestess’ mask almost seemed to glare at the redheaded maiden. "And if SHE wishes to love HIM, she can watch him die before dying herself!" The mother screamed in hate and rage.

She turned and ran toward the Samurai, just as Ariel got the rocks off of Ashi, who looked behind Ariel with look of horrified dismay.

"No!"

Ariel turned around and her eyes bulged in terror. She swiftly picked up her trident, which glowed and pulsed, as Ashi lunged forward and picked up a lone arrow. Ariel aimed, Ashi pulled her arm back, the dark priestess jumped up to lunge at Jack.

And Ashi threw the arrow with a speed and accuracy like it'd been fired from a crossbow, while Ariel fired a beam of purple, crackling energy from her trident. Beam and arrow struck their marks, the arrow impaled the torso of Ashi's mother, and the beam struck the woman, frying her with its energy as she went hurtling, screaming over the side of the cliff.

The two look in shock of what they'd done, but relieved none the less, panting for air. That's when Ashi passed out. Ariel quickly acted, taking a bottle of water, and holding it against her trident. The water glowed bright white, and Ariel let drops of the water fall into Ashi's mouth. The girl groaned, but was otherwise fine.  Ariel sat Indian style, as she let the girl rest her head on her lap and slept.

She held the younger girl in her lap then was startled by a blinding gold light a few paces in front of them. To her amazement, it was Jack once more robed in his trademark white gi, top knot and clean shaven exactly the same as when they had separated years ago.

Jack opened his eyes, and was startled by the sight around him. And hurried over in alarm when he spotted Ashi laying on the ground with her head in Ariel's lap.

"Ashi! Ariel, is she...?" Jack asked in concern.

~Shhh~ Ariel put her finger to her lips, but the magically appearing words also caused Jack to pause. ~She is alright, just...exhausted. As I am too~ Ariel sighed.

The younger woman opened her eyes and stared up into the two smiling faces above her.

"Jack?" She blinked.

"Yes, it is me." Jack reassured her.

Ariel helped Ashi to her feet, and the two girls stared at Jack in awe.

"You got your sword back..." Ashi looked amused. "And a shave, and a haircut."

"Hmmm. Yes, I did." Jack answered in surprise, not realizing it at first.

Ariel walked up, and put her hand on his cheek, Jack's eyes widened slightly at the bold gesture as she rubbed his cheek.

~I'll kinda miss the beard. It was a good look for you~ Ariel told him. ~But...I did miss how you looked before. So noble and dignified.~

Jack put his hand over Ariel's and shut his eyes briefly, before opening them with a smile.

"Well, I hope you and Ashi have been getting along," Jack said lowering her hand down. "Because we've still got work to do."

"What are we doing next?" Ashi asked.

"Aku." Jack said seriously, looking out into the horizon.

Ariel frowned, but nodded her head in acceptance. After fighting Ashi's mother, she felt more confident and less afraid,  ready to deal with whatever happened next.

**_To be continued..._ **


	9. Something there

Not long afterwards they traveled on, reaching a populated city in the desert area. Ashi marveled at the sights around her, Ariel shared her enthusiasm - it reminded her much of her own experience years ago.

The trio soon booked passage on a massive beast creature, not unlike a camel, which would carry them across the desert to their next destination. Ashi stared up at the creature in awe, as did Ariel as she'd only seen a creature that size in the Ocean; Like the Kraken, or Leviathan.

"Ah. Incredible." Ashi sighed in awe.

Jack smiled at the two girls, especially Ashi at her childlike wonder of seeing the creature and the sights. Ashi reminded him of Ariel when they first met, but different in her own way.

"We have a long journey on our way." Jack said.

"I'm just grateful we'll be riding," Ashi stated looking at Ashi sympathetically. "I can't stand the thought of Ariel walking on the hot sands, especially with her...condition."

Ariel smiled at her for the thoughtful worry. ~I am tougher then I look Ashi. I will learn to adapt, and the pain might not last forever, it could be just because they're new.~

Various residents turned their heads briefly at the golden words appearing around Ariel's throat, but considering the various species and races now on Earth, decided it might have something to do with what she was.

"Ariel, these are not a pair of shoes to be worn till they're comfortable." Jack said with a furtive look. "These are a part of your being, and I worry about the effect of _'every step feeling like walking on sharp knives_ ' will have on your mind."

Jack's reciting of what Ariel had told them had the mermaid looking a little upset, but brushed it aside and started to walk to a food stall, followed by the others.

~I will be alright, and if I feel...weak. I will tell you. But really...~ Ariel walked closer to Jack and smiled at him with love in her eyes. ~I do not notice the pain with you by my side, Jack~

"Still I would feel less troubled if you'd wear at least a pair of shoes. We should eat." Jack tells them, as they walked to the stalls. "This looks good."

"Have you two had this before?" Ashi asked them, unsure.

"Yes, of course many, many times."

~I admit it looks strange at first but surprisingly tasty. Reminds me of some specialties from home.~ Ariel nods.

"Care for a dingle-hopper as a utensil?" Jack teased.

Had she still her voice Ariel would've giggled, however all she managed was a mirthful grin. ~It's fine. I remember eating one of the purple ones, I almost gave Sebastian a heart attack.~

"The Court Composer who was a crab, correct?" Ashi asked.

Ariel nodded as she cast a glance up at the walrus looking alien stall vendor.

"Yah, Yah, Yah, all very good. Very good for you." The vendor drawled.

Jack smiled, Ariel lifted an eyebrow at the vendor, and Ashi was grimacing. Jack then picked up a strange, shrimp looking thing, squirming in a plate, under a mass of strange, purple jelly.

"This 'especially'." Jack said as he popped it into his mouth, drool dripping from his lips as he chewed.

"Mmmm~ Delicious." Jack sighed in pleasure.

A flash of purple light caused Ashi and Ariel to shut their eyes briefly, and when they opened them, their eyes opened even wider with surprise. Ariel clasping her hand over her mouth, before trying to stifle her laughter, unsure whether to be horrified or amused.

Jack’s head had turned into an indigo angelfish with a rainbow of stripes.

~Uh, where did you get this shrimp stuff?~ Ariel turned to ask the vendor.

"Oh, far, far, far away!! Fished and dredged up from the Cove of Kyría Skoteinó fántasma!" The vendor proclaimed.

~Kyría Skoteinó fántasma~ Ariel looked thoughtful. ~That's Greek, it means 'Lady Dark Spectre!'~

Ashi looked surprised. "You know Greek?" 

~It's a must when your family is descended from Poseidon, Greek God of the Sea.~ Ariel said with a shrug and smile. ~Sir, I hope you realize these shrimp things are contaminated by the enchanted water that a northeastern sea witch frequents.~ 

"Yes, yes, but good for you!" The vendor cheered clue less.

"Here try some." Jack offered Ashi.

"N-no, thank you!" Ashi declined with a nervous smile. "I'll just try something over there."

~There's some fruits over there I can easily recommend.~ Ariel suggested, sensing Ashi's discomfort.

Ariel took Ashi to a fruit stand and they took a look at some of the choices, and Ashi took her first bite of a peach. Jack looked at the two with a fond expression on his fishy face, as Ariel giggled at Ashi, juice dribbling down her chin with the mermaid taking a napkin to wipe it off in a motherly manner.

"Woman, who can understand them, Yah?" The food vendor said.

"Yes...I guess." Jack said dubiously.

"And where are you and your lovely wife and daughter heading off to, Yah?" The vendor asked Jack.

Jack visibly blushed, "They're not -! That is to say...."

At least not yet, though perhaps someday - hopefully. Not long afterwards the three were up on an escalator to board their transportation.

"I don't feel so good..." Jack was saying softly, "Maybe it was something I ate."

"Yeah, that might be it." Ashi remarks.

~You should be changing back any second right about now.~ Ariel consoled.

There was a flash of purple light and Jack's head had changed back to its original state.

~There you go.~

"Ah, that's better."

The trio stepped into the caravan car, and noticed a lot of green tiger like men, all wearing black sweaters and pants with different letters, Ashi and Jack grabbed a pole meant for passengers to steady themselves. Ariel was there next to Ashi, hand on her shoulder as more tiger men poured into the car.

A tiger man pressed his back up against Jack's. "Excuse me." He apologized with a lisp, and sickening sneering smile.

"Pardon me." Another Tiger Man said bumping into Ashi.

"Forgive the collision." Another said to Ariel, who scooted back with a furtive frown.

This caused Ashi and Jack to press closer together, cause the two to look uncomfortable, being up close chest to chest.

"It's a little crowded in here." Jack remarked with a blush and frown.

"Yes...Ow!" Ashi's eyes widened. "Somethings poking me."

Jack look down and realized it was his sword hilt, relieved, because he was certain to have no feelings for Ashi other than warm, caring feelings like a man would for a sister, or daughter.

~Don't say that while you're both so pressed up against me like this.~ Ariel's words appeared, causing several tiger heads to turn with confused frowns.

"Here. Maybe, we could..." Jack helped to shift so Ariel was now between them, and all three held onto a pole.

~And I suppose this is better if you poked me?~ Ariel asked with a raised eyebrow.

"What…Oh…OH!!" Jack's eyes widened. "No, I just...well, not that I wouldn't...uh..."

Ariel shook with silent laughter, and Ashi who couldn't see the words well from her position, looked interested.

"What did she say?" Ashi asked in confusion.

"Nothing! I mean....just some jest she made." Jack explained.

The beast they were traveling on let out a roar, and soon they were moving across the desert.

About 15 minutes passed and Ariel realized how close she was to Jack, and she took in his handsome features, and felt herself blushing. Wondering, if they would get a chance to be closer, maybe even to kiss after so long. Jack had embraced her, caressed her face lovingly. But he'd yet to kiss her, and she worried. But she knew he felt the same, otherwise he wouldn't have let her stay...would he?

Jack was having similar thoughts, as he was so close to Ariel. The kimono she wore was really slimming, but also accentuated all of her curves. Her loose red hair, cascading down her shoulders, her beautiful expressive blue eyes shimmered in the light leaking in from the windows. And her full lips....Jack chided himself. He was becoming very lurid in his thinking, but here she was after fifty years, so long had he been haunted and in pain. And now, with her return he had new hope, his sword, and a chance to finally strike at Aku. And possibly, form a relationship with Ariel.

Ashi was thinking too. Thinking how she could get those two to stop being so awkward. Oh they flirted lightly, but even Ashi with her narrow view of the world, knew that they should just make a move, and stop being so flustered. So, she decided to trick Ariel into making a bold move.

"Ariel...your water bottles are bumping into me." Ashi said to the Mermaid. The glass bottles were round and corked. And sure, they were pressing against her but not enough to be a bother.

But Ariel didn't know that.

So, the mermaid shifted forward to give Ashi more room, and was now pressing herself up against Jack's chest.

He felt her soft body pressing against his, and his eyes bore into her own, as she realized what she'd done. They stared at each other, her hands resting on his shoulders, Jack blushing and sweating. And she looked up at him, the mix of lights and shadows cast on her face giving her an all new allure.

"The temperature seems to be rising..." Jack joked nervously.

For a moment they averted their eyes trying not to look so obvious. Then Jack spotted something that had him make a double take. The green tiger men each a letter and three of them had been standing together so that the letters they formed read: DIE.

Others spelled SURRENDER.

"Ashi. Ariel." he whispered to them. "We're not alone."

He ducked pushing Ariel away from himself, as a tiger man lunged to grab him from behind, causing her to fall back against Ashi. Jack smashed his head backwards up into the tiger man’s face, and dodged a punch, grabbing the tigers paw, and tossing him into the other tigers.

Ashi gasped, and ducked as a tiger man made to grab her, and she turned to punch him. This caused Ariel to get grabbed from behind by another Tiger Man.

"Rrrrrraaaagh!!"

The tiger man screamed in pain as a bolt of purple electricity, shot out of Ariel's hair pin, and shocked the Tiger painfully to let go. Two more Tigers lunged at her, but they were punched away by Ashi. And Ariel pulled off her hairpin to get her trident. She stabbed several of the cats, smacked them away, and the end of the trident to break ones nose.

But one of the tigers stepped on her foot, and given the fact it was already sore from the pain of walking, Ariel gave a silent scream of pain. ~Ahhhhh!~

The letters flew into the tigers eyes, blinding the creature, and Ariel fell backwards. Jack quickly caught her in his arms. And he gulped when he saw how close his hands were to her bosom.

~Look out!~ Ariel cried.

They both barely dodged one attack. After two minutes, the trio find themselves pressed against each other again.

"Should we leave perhaps?" Jack inquires uncomfortably.

"Yeah, that's a good idea."

~I agree.~

They escaped through the window, with the green tiger men hot on their trail.

Jack had grabbed the bridle from the driver, and with Ashi under his one arm, and Ariel clinging to his back they swung down to the sands below.

And then, they proceeded on their way.

**_To be continued..._ **


	10. Stronger than we know

It was a long, hot journey, and poor Ariel suffered the worst. Not accustomed to the heat, and every step a sharp knife through the foot, Jack and Ashi kept offering to carry her. But she was fine. At least she had shoes – simple dark flats, it was one of the things they had gotten at the store. And the bottles of healing water helped to keep her and the others from passing out.

Eventually, they came to an oasis, where Jack and Ashi eagerly bent over to gulp up handfuls of water. Ariel put her aching feet and stiff legs into the water. As she did, her hairpin glowed purple, and the whole oasis water glowed bright white. And stayed that way, and would for years to come, not that they knew it.

Ariel was relieved when the healing water made her pain go away, and she eagerly refilled her bottles. And she splashed Ashi with some water playfully, inciting a harmless game of splashing. The two then took a brief nap in the shade of the giant palm tree, as they did Jack made some traditional Japanese sun hats out of the tree's leaves and bark.

No more than an hour later after leaving the oasis the trio find themselves caught up in a sandstorm.

"We have to find shelter!" Jack shouted to be heard over the howling wind.

"Where?" Ashi called.

They lost their sunhats to the gale.

~I see something up ahead!~ Ariel pointed.

Jack and Ashi joined her.

"What is that?" Jack wondered, shielding his eyes from the sand. "There!"

They spotted a tear in a massive, rectangular edifice and jumped in. They looked around warily, no telling what else they might find within.

Ariel stared. She'd been to one of the cities' in the past yet never recalled anything like this.

The trio looked around the metallic hallway in trepidation, the lights were blue, flickering eerily as they walked through it.

"What is this place?" Ashi asked in confusion.

They traversed the hallways, and soon came through a better lit up place, and glanced around.

"Look up!" Ashi stated.

They looked up, and saw the glass enclosure, with a sink, shower, toilets, and tally-marks on the wall.

"Very confined space." Ashi remarked.

~A prison of some sorts.~ Ariel remarked in worry.

"Prison?" Ashi asked.

Jack looked down, and realized they were standing on the glass door of another prison cell, and like all the others, there was a hole in it. Like something punched out, or in.

"You’re right, Ariel. But where are its prisoners?" Jack asked in tense growing alarm.

~Good question.~

**_ZAP!_ **

Everyone jumped, startled when Ariel's hairpin suddenly glowed bright purple, and shot lightning bolts out.

"Ariel, are you alright!?" Jack asked, grabbing her hands and looking her over for injuries.

~I'm fine.~ Ariel said swallowing to let the tightening of her throat go away.

"Why did the hair-pin do that?" Jack asked in worry.

"Jack. Ariel, look...."

The gang turned to Ashi, who pointed to the floor, there on the floor was a smoldering, withering leech. A very large one with green mucus oozing out of the creature.

"Oh my..." Ashi gagged. "I think - I think that THING was about to latch onto Ariel!"

"What?" Jack looked at the leech closer, and nodded in agreement.

"Yes, it would appear so." Jack looked up at Ariel, who was finger the pin in her hair with a look of astonishment.

"It seems the Dark Spectre Queen's gifts have added bonuses to them." Jack remarked.

"Like protection against surprise attacks." Ashi said stroking her chin with her finger as she stared at the hair pin.

~It certainly does look that way~ Ariel stated.

"We should leave." Jack said grimly.

Just then they heard a chilling screech somewhere in the hall behind them. The three decided they were better off braving the sandstorm outside than whatever may be lurking in the prison. But soon they find themselves lost in a technological built maze around them.

"What madness is this?!" Jack exclaimed

~Whoever built this must've wanted to make doubly certain no one would be getting out.~

"I choose this over whatever might be chasing us." Ashi declared leaping onto a catwalk.

More than obvious they were lost, but they had to keep moving. Eventually they find themselves in a large chamber containing a huge glass prison cell, broken open.

"Another prison cell." Ashi gaped.

"Yes, a very BIG one." Jack scowled.

They were all thinking the same thing: it was definitely meant to hold something lethal. Once more they heard the screeching behind them.

"I'm afraid it's occupant has returned." Jack stated, unsheathing his sword.

Ariel pulled out her hairpin and it became a trident. Ashi took a defensive stance, the three of them ready to face whatever would come out of the dark tunnel behind them.

The trio watched in agitation, worry and utter horror as a moving mass came toward them, it slid into the room. And was revealed to be a huge mass of leeches, like the one that tried to latch onto Ariel. It moved like it had a single mind, and gathered close together to form a type of body, growling at the three.

The trio gasped at the makeshift face it created with some of the leeches.

It loomed over them, and slowly made it's way toward the trio. It stopped and let out another roar, it shot out several leeches at them.

Jack ran forward, and sliced the leeches as they came at him.

It roared in agitation.

"Ashi, Ariel, look out!!" Jack warned, and it was a good call.

For the creatures spat out even more leeches, and a bunch slithered on the ground from the mass towards the two girls. Ashi quickly jumped from the catwalk to the ground, causing the leeches to go after her and not Ariel.

Ashi landed on the ground near a pile of broken glass that came from the prison, and picked it up. As the leeches came at her, she expertly threw the shards like shurikens at the leeches. She was all out quickly, but before the leeches could lunge at her, a blast of purple energy struck them, incinerating all of the leeches in front of Ashi.

The younger woman looked up at Ariel, holding her purple glowing trident which still hummed.

"Thank you, Ariel!" Ashi waved.

Ashi quickly climbed back up to the catwalk, where Ariel and Jack fended off the leeches with his sword and scabbard, and her energy blasts.

"We need to get out of here!" Ashi declared.

"Agreed." Jack concurred, Ariel nodded.

Jack struck the floor hitting a ventilation line causing steam to flow out giving them time to get away.

In their flight, the trio find themselves at a door which, after scanning to make sure they are not prisoners, lets them in. The room as it turned out was the place's armory.

"Multiple prison cell breach detected. Containment protocol initiated." the cool computer voice announced.

Jack approached a computer panel with a glass bubble on top, as Ariel and Ashi looked the various weapons kept on the wall with curiosity.

"Quadrant B. Breech detected." The computer produced a hologram of the creature they'd just encountered.

"Prisoner Lazarus-92. Extremely Dangerous, multiple-regenerating organisms" The computer droned on.

"Emergency Protocol instructions." The Computer produced a picture of a round disc item. "Neutralizing Weapon model, X-49. Once Lazarus-92 has entered the weapons vicinity. Weapons initiating sequences follow, step one - "

A loud blast caused Jack to turn in shock, seeing Ashi holding a large blaster, and a melted hole in the wall near Ariel, who covered her head as she nearly been hit.

"Sorry!" Ashi put down the gun, and rushed to Ariel's side apologizing. Though Ariel smiled, and her gold words seemed to suggest she didn't hold a grudge.

Jack turned back to the machine.

"And only after that proper weapon initializing sequence can Lazarus-92 be terminated."

"Wait, what?" Jack gasped. He'd missed the important part of the instructions.

"Lazarus protocol concluded." And the hologram vanished.

"No, wait I -" Jack tapped the machine once only for a circular flat panel to come out. This had to be the X29 weapon the computer mentioned. He looked it over, "But how does one initiate it?"

Ashi armed herself with a double-bladed spear and a shield. "I am ready."

~Likewise.~ Ariel nodded.

"As am I." Jack said holding the weapon in his hands.

~What is that?~ Ariel asked pointing to the disc.

"A device intended to specifically kill the creature." Jack nervously answered, worried as he never heard the finishing instructions.

"Excellent!" Ashi declared.

"Yes...." Jack slowly drawled, not feeling the 'excellent.'

They venture forth through the hall with Jack still trying to figure out the right sequence. The leeches that compose the dangerous creature Lazarus-92 crawled out from the tunnels.

But Jack is unable to figure out the initiation sequence. Ashi offers to try and he tosses the weapon to her while he and Ariel hold off the monster. However, a swarm of the leeches outflank them and attack Ashi.

She is able to fend them off, but not before they eat away her leafy clothing, leaving her naked, much to the other two's embarrassment.

"Ashi, you're naked!" Jack cried.

Not comprehending their mortification. "So?"

"Well, men and women are different-- and private things are personal!" a flushing Jack stammered even as he tried to concentrate.

~You could catch your death of cold this way!~ Ariel cried pulling off her kimono and covering the younger woman in it... Only to remember that she was only wearing her purple seashell bikini and a green mid-length sarong.

Oops.

"Ariel!!" Jack exclaimed, eyes unable to look away from her body. "I...uh...wow..."

~Jack, please, is now the time to be...~ Ariel jumps when Jack hurriedly takes off his Gi, and drapes it over her.

"What's that supposed to do?" Ashi asked with a frown.

"Well, it's to offer her protection from the creature." Jack said blushing at the image of near naked Ariel.

"And your robe is better than her kimono?" Ashi asked.

"It's a GI actually." Jack said.

Jack, Ariel and Ashi fight on, but are soon surrounded.

"Cover me for as long as you can!" Jack urged them.

The leeches begin overwhelming them just as Jack manages to figure out the initiation sequence.

"Sequence initiated."

The three of them were literally up to their neck in the horrible little things. The three burst out calling out each other's name in pain and fear as they struggled.

~Jack! Ashi!~ Ariel’s fearful words glowed.

"Jack! Ariel!" Ashi wailed.

"Ariel! Ashi!"

They screamed, poor Ariel being without a voice, could only open her mouth in silent agony.

While covered by the alien worms, the weapon activates and electrocutes the leeches, killing them all simultaneously. As the creatures die, the infection in their wounds is also neutralized.

The trio gasped as the pain and terror of near death slowly faded from their body and mind. Ashi completely laid down on the floor, face resting on her arms as she panted. Ariel and Jack wavered in place, and Jack quickly rushed to Ariel's side, taking her into his arms. He kept his arms on her, rubbing his arms up and down her sides.

She took the comfort, and as she finally caught her own breath, she looked up at Jack with her deep, shimmering blue eyes, strands of red hair loose in front of her face. And Jack's few strands loose from his hair bun, all muddy, and yet so desirable. And so, the two immediately wrapped their arms around each other’s necks, and started to deeply kiss.

Ashi managed to push herself to her feet, only to stumble when she saw Ariel and Jack passionately kissing each other. She blushed and looked away, though she felt overjoyed for the two.

 

**_Meanwhile_ **

In her undersea lair, The Dark Spectre Queen Vanessa startled, as she heard a loud shattered sound. When she turned, she saw her glass music box completely shattered, and the golden orb that was Ariel's voice rising out of the remains. The gold mist trailed behind it, as it slowly rose up through the water.

"Damn it. And I only had it for 3 months!" Vanessa frowned as she crossed her scaly arms.

Oh well, it might be a while before the voice returns to it's rightful owner.

**_To be continued..._ **


	11. Days in the sun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The three talk of happier times while Ariel unknowingly sends a message out to her worried family.

The kissing couple quickly remembers they are kissing and pull away, nervous and mildly disgusted from Lazarus 92's venom - yet still in each other's arms.

Ashi watches half amused as the other two blush and apologize to one another.

~We should wash this off.~ Ariel stated with a shy smile. ~Here I best give back your --~

Jack quickly stops her. "Gi! Y-you should still wear that, it's drafty in here."

A light shone on them, they look up to see it's sunlight from a crack on the ceiling. Which means the sandstorm is over. Both Ariel and Ashi basked in the warm sunlight.

"I - we better find some clothes." Ashi offered, taking Ariel's arm and sensing her shy awkwardness.

"Yes, I'll meet you two outside." Jack tells them sheepishly.

~We'll see you in a moment.~

The two girls then walked the hallways searching for a place that could possibly store some form of clothing.

* * *

When Ashi and Ariel found the staff lounge, and the spare clothes in the closet, they used the sponges and wash cloths to clean themselves and Jack's Gi off and started to talk.

"I have to say, I never thought I'd see you two kissing." Ashi blinks and looks mortified. "I mean, I know you would kiss. I mean...you’re in love. But I expected it to happen much later."

Ariel looked down, smiling, blushing at Ashi's words.

~Well, it didn't help that we haven't seen each other in fifty years,~ Ariel explained. ~I guess absence does make the heart grow fonder.~

Ashi nodded, though never heard the saying before, and looked amused.

"Although, I would think the mood was killed by the killer leeches." Ashi joked.

Ariel playfully shoved the wet sponge in Ashi's face, acting as if she was only getting a spot off of her cheek. Earning a playful razz from Ashi. It was hard to believe that this was the same girl who tried to hunt down and kill Jack.

Not long afterwards the girls headed outside to meet Jack. They turned a corner of the area and were shocked to find him showering. Though he didn't notice them.

Ariel blushed, Ashi was stunned. Quickly they left Jacks robe neatly on the ground, and sprinted away to give him privacy.

That evening, they caught food to eat that evening and settled down to talk. Ariel told Jack what had become of her family and other friends back in Atlantica.

"I am sorry to hear of Scuttle’s passing," Jack remarked. "He was certainly a good loyal friend."

~He was one of my links to the surface world before my first adventure, I’ll always remember him my friend. Sebastian is retired, but even he can’t resist giving his successor advice from time to time~

"He is a very wise and learned crab. Truly, a scholar of his time."

Ariel admits. ~He’s still a close friend, almost a second father to me.~

"I wish I knew who mine was..." Ashi said softly.

"You never knew your father?" Jack asked.

"I know that he wasn't a part of the cult, we're all women." Ashi elaborated softly. "I assumed Mother had seduced and slew some poor soul to have me and my sisters."

Ariel shuddered, and looked sympathetically at Ashi. She came to sit next to the girl, and put her arm around her shoulders. ~If nothing else, you may consider US Family, Ashi. No matter where you go, or what happens.~

The younger girl smiled at Ariel, and looked at Jack who nodded his agreement with what she said.

"Thank you..." She hugged Ariel close. "Thank you so much."

~Tell me about your home in the past~ Ariel glanced at Jack, ~Was it nice there? ~

"My home..." He sighs with nostalgia. "My father was the Emperor, so we lived in the palace overlooking the whole village. It was so high up in the air that it touched the clouds. I would just stare out at the beauty of the seasons changing. The Summer season blanketed the valley with long beautiful shadows."

Ariel and Ashi shut their eyes, and could almost picture a young Jack, looking out on the valley of his home.

"The Fall leaves brought a bounty of color."

Jack's words continued to pain the image so vividly to them.

"Winter was so white. And the cherry blossoms in the spring, like a pink snow fall."

The two young ladies opened their eyes, smiling.

"And...Was there a _girl_?" Ashi asked giving Ariel the side eye.

"Yes, many." Jack cheerfully told them.

Ariel felt her heart clench, and her mind whirl in hurt at hearing that, she looked sideways in shock. Ashi was floored, and looked at Ariel in concern, frowning at Jack for his comment.

Jack's eyes widened when he realizes what she meant.

"Ooohh! Wait! You..." Jack stood up, and kneels in front of Ariel, taking her hands into his own. "I thought Ashi meant something else."

Jack turns to Ashi who looked confused. "You mean _A_ girl?"

Ashi nodded, and Ariel looked back at Jack with a sigh of relief.

"No, no, there has never been anyone else who stood so steadily in my heart." Jack turns back to Ariel, their eyes locking. "No one but you, Ariel."

Ariel smiled happily, she let Jack stroke his fingers over her hands, and she leaned down to press her forehead to his in affectionate manner. Jack chuckled and Ashi looked away with a blush.

"Besides. I was only eight when..." Jack stilled and pulled back from Ariel. "When Aku came..."

Ariel frowned sadly, reaching out to stroke down the side of Jack's arm reassuringly.

~Oh Jack, I'm sorry...~ Ariel consoled him, ~For what it's worth, I'm sure your parents would be very proud.~

"It is nice to remember the time before Aku." Jack said with a sad smile before becoming serious, "It is the only way I'll be able to see it again... as a memory."

Ariel and Ashi exchanged looks of sad sympathy.

The mermaid pondered sadly, ~I could only say goodbye to my father and my sisters with a written message. And a gentle kiss on the forehead while they slept. ~

She just wishes right now that there was some way to let them know she was among friends.

~If I could, I could tell Daddy and my sisters that I love them very much, and I think of them in my travels. ~

A little later, Ariel laid on the blanket and watched as Jack and Ashi slept by the fire, and she looked up at the stars glittering in the sky. She shut her eyes, and wished she could contact her family.

~Sisters, Daddy, I'm so happy now. I've found Jack, we're reunited. And I've met this sweet girl, I feel like...like how Mother must've felt with us.~

Her necklace glowed unnoticed as the words floated up into the air.

~Everyone in Atlantica, I'm safe and happy.~

She slept so peacefully, more than she ever did and so did Jack. But that was because the two snuggled close together on their sleeping mat, while Ashi slept on her own. Smiling at the pair, feeling like this...here, was what being a part of a family could truly be.

* * *

That early evening the sea kingdom was unusually quiet; the six remaining daughters of Triton and Sebastian were in the throne room looking melancholy. It’s been three months already and there was no word from Ariel.

"What if something awful happened to her?" Arista questioned worriedly.

"Let’s try not to think like that." Attina told them, trying to be strong for their sake.

"Now, now. It’s going to be alright. We got to think positive," agreed Sebastian.

"We can’t say anything else to upset Dad. He's worried enough already." added Aquata.

"Got a point." Andrina nodded, but it lacked any of the usual sarcasm.

"Shh, shh, shh! Here he comes!"

"Now just stay calm."

"Not a word."

Their father, King Triton swims in, looking solemn. "Any sign of her?"

One look at the King’s face, Sebastian begins to shake then he burst into tearful hysterics. "Oh, it's a lost cause! She could be anywhere! In a net, in a dungeon, in the mines!"

"Way to keep calm, Sebastian." Andrina said grimly.

"I’ll admit he’s overreacting, but he’s right. This cannot go on."

Just then, they were startled as something bright flew their way. Triton took a defensive stance as his daughters and Sebastian flinched only to pause in confusion.

They were golden words that stopped directly in front of them; They read them with anticipation.

"But what if it’s some kind of trick or something?" Adella questioned anxiously.

Triton read the words for a few seconds he said nothing then he declared. "Yet it’s as though they were written in her hand!"

~I hope to see you soon. ~ read the final sentence, which told them Ariel was safe.

For the moment they could only hope it would stay that way.

* * *

The morning’s rays came, and when Ariel stirred it was to the sound of Ashi calling out Jack’s name in alarm.

"Jack? JACK!"

The mermaid opened her eyes to see Ashi looking around frantically. She sat up, and looked over to where Jack was supposed to be lying next to her, but wasn't there. And she felt like a vice clamped down hard on her heart. Did he leave? Why?

"Jack..." She heard Ashi growl angrily.

~Why....~ Ariel felt heartbroken, and put a hand over her mouth, even though there was no need to stifle her cries as she was voiceless. But she felt Ashi embrace her from behind.

"Ariel, we can't just sit around here," Ashi stated intently. "We're gonna find him, and demand answers. We didn't come with him so far, only to be left behind."

Ariel shook with tears, but eventually calmed down, and nodded. She wiped her eyes with the sleeves of her kimono, and Ashi helped her to her feet and once she put on her shoes, she nodded at Ashi with a grim determination in her eyes.

The two girls began tracking his footsteps through the desert, over dunes, past some tors and finally to a strange place covered with mist hours later.

It had many large, fallen machines, possibly robots that had been used for combat. Some looked like giant armor, others like giant insects and arachnids.

~This reminds me of those ship graveyards I used explore back home...~ Ariel remarked a little uneasily.

Something else about all this felt a little off and it wasn't because Jack wasn't with them or that she wasn't a curious teenager anymore.

The pair soon found Jack, head bowed in sorrow, next to the shattered remains of something. A shattered pair of glasses rested at his feet.

Ariel stared at Jack's back, and felt sympathy, though she was still angered over his suddenly leaving.

"Why..." Ashi asked on Ariel's behalf. "Why did you just leave like that?"

Ariel stepped forward, and reached Jack to put her hands on his shoulders, only for him to step away, causing her much pain.

"You shouldn't have followed me," Jack scolded eyes shut still. "You two need to go back."

"Go back?" Ashi asked incredulous. "No, we're not going anywhere, and where do you expect Ariel to go?"

Jack opened his eyes, and turned to her with a saddened expression.

"You think she can just go back to the sea?" Ashi asked. "You heard her, it'll be a year before she can possibly work out some deal with the Dark Spectre Queen to become a mermaid. And what will happen to her in the meantime!?"

Jack looked at Ariel's eyes, hurt and shimmering with tears.

"I'm sure Ashi will protect you, Ariel. And if you can get that witch, to give you back your voice. You can go home and..."

Jack was cut off when Ariel stepped forward, and deftly slapped him in the face. In his frozen shock, he was barely aware of Ariel putting her hands on his shoulder and kissing his lips. She pulled back, and planted an apologetic kiss on his cheek.

~You’re a fool. I can't go home, you’re my home. I gave up everything to be with you.~ Ariel's words seemed to drip with sorrow as the gold letters appeared. ~I love you, and if I can't be with you, I can never be happy again!~

Jack shook his head.

"That's not true, you don't understand!" Jack argued.

"Then help us to understand, Jack." Ashi asked sadly. "She's come so far, and suffered so much pain. And would you force her to experience a broken heart too? I might not know love, but I recognize it. And it's between you too. So, if you truly love her you will explain....Jack."

Jack bowed his head sadly, but when Ariel gently touched his cheek, he let out a heavy sigh.

"All these years, I have seen so many innocents fall victim to Aku. Kind and decent people." He continued on with a sad-stricken expression. "My friends, my family, every one of them. His evil has taken everything I've ever..." He grips Ariel's hand in his own, and kisses her fingertips.

"Loved. All I have left...are memories." Jack's voice shook with emotion. "I do not want you two to become a memory. You've both made me better in ways I never expected."

"Ashi. Your hope, your youth, inexperience, the fact I saved more than just your life. I've left an impact on you, but you left an impact on me. You’re like...a daughter to me."

Ashi smiled sadly at hearing that.

"And Ariel, never in my life have I had my thoughts consumed by anything other than defeating Aku. But with you...I have my thoughts viewing the future, hoping, longing, wishing that we might...share that future together."

Ariel nodded, her hands gripping his wrists in a passionate display of love. And Jack eventually, let his fingers lace with hers, returning the gesture of love. And Ashi smiled with a happy look in her eyes.

~Jack, I will not become a memory. But if you push me away, and you die...I will be.~

Her words caused Jack to frown in confusion at her words.

~Jack, I never...I wasn't sure how...I wanted to tell you or Ashi.~ Ariel looked uncomfortable, but a gentle squeeze on her hand from Jack gave her strength. ~The Dark Spectre Queen told me, if you die before we...were joined together in marriage. Then, my heart would break and I would die the morning after. Turned into seafoam.~

Ariel's words hit the other two like a fist.

"You never told me that!" Ashi was aghast.

Jack felt as though his insides froze in ice, he took Ariel by the arms in horror. "It's not true.... I beg you to tell me it's not true!"

Ariel sadly shook her head. ~It's true. Vanessa told me herself, if you die during your quest fighting Aku, I will perish the dawn following afterwards~

In some form of reassurance at least if he was lost to her, she would soon be joining him in the afterlife.

For a moment Jack said nothing, he instead pulled Ariel into his arms, holding her tightly.

Next to them, Ashi bit her lip sadly then spoke up her voice thick with emotion, "Jack don’t you see? Everything that has happened in our lives had brought us all here. Right now together."

Ariel touched Jack's face tenderly, ~We’ll face whatever lies ahead and defeat Aku together.~

" **Saaaaaaamurai Jack!** " A familiar voice drawled.

It was a voice that sent fear and terror down Ariel's spine, anger and resentment down Jack's and alarm through Ashi's.

Towering over them like a black obelisk, his shadow casting a cold chill despite the desert heat, was Aku, the shape-shifting master of darkness himself!

**_To be continued..._ **


	12. I put a spell on you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The trio stare down Aku, only for the villain to discover something about Ashi that puts them in mortal peril.

Ariel watched like a deer frozen in headlights, she knew they would be facing this monster but never expected it to be so soon. Instinctively she moved close to Jack.

" **It has been too long. Far, far, far too long.** " Aku said in sneering tone. " **But you’re probably saying to yours** elf, 'Why? Why now for our sudden reunion?'" Aku's voice suddenly switched to Jack's, causing Ariel to jump and look away at hearing the voice of the man she loved from Aku's lips.

 **"Well, a little birdie told me..."** The demon said as he went to rest his elbow on the head of a pharaoh shaped derelict robot.

And the sound of gears shifting and moving revealed Scaramouche restored to his true body, to Jack's shock.

"That Samurai Jack has lost the ONE thing in the _entire universe_ that can destroy Aku!" The robot declared with an evil grin. "Also, I seem to recall a lovely little fine, finny, filly, flying through the water to Jack-O's side." He continued vindictively. "Isn't that right, Little Miss Mermaid?"

Wasn't that the same robot head that recognized her when she and the Dark Spectre Queen were en route to the shore?

Ariel jerked from beside Jack, and Aku's eyes narrowed in on her with glee.

" **Well, well, well, so it is indeed!** " The sinister grin on Aku's face grew. " **And how have you been these past fifty years, my little sea blossom? You know, there's something different about you…new pearls? Perhaps trying on something more alluring…?** "

Ariel grit her teeth and spoke, or tried to, without thinking. ~I HAVE LEGS, YOU DEPRAVED MONSTER!!~

Her words flashed brightly in Aku's eyes, causing him to cover his eyes in surprise. " **What? What!? What is this then, what are these words? If you have something to say to me, say it!** "

Jack enraged, pulled out his katana and swung at Aku, causing the latter to lean back in horror at the very sword he was told Jack had lost.

"SHE CAN NOT!! She gave up her voice to The Dark Spectre Queen so she could have legs, and be with me!" Jack shouted.

Aku gasped before turning to glare at Scaramouche.

"But...but Master, I..." the robotic assassin didn't have more to say before his head blew up.

" **This is a shame, a pitiful shame. I had so hoped to hear your voice again, mainly to hear it crying out in pleasure.** " Aku remarked slyly.

Jack and Ashi stepped in front of Ariel, but the red head soon pulled out her trident, and blasted a bolt of energy that nearly hit him in the face even with her heart hammering in her rib-cage.

" **WHAT!? Grrrr. Blast that insufferable harpy, first she takes your voice, and now she gives you powerful weapons?** " Aku snarled. " **I really must do something about that Sorceress....** " He leaned forward to leer at Ariel, though the shakily raised trident and steady held sword kept him back. **"Well, I'd love to stay and chat, or in your case, chat and read the words, but I must be going..."** He glared at Jack. **"Especially with the Samurai acting as a disturbance."** Aku sneered. **"I'll let myself out."** he turned to leave.

"Aku!" Jack charged towards the demon, who had suddenly paused.

**"Wait a minute, I smell something...something very familiar... aside from the sea potpourri emanating from the mermaid."**

Jack lunged at Aku, who let a circular hole form in his body to let Jack fall through.

 **"I smell ME!"** Aku exclaimed in shock.

"Madness!" Jack shot in defiance.

 **"Time out here, really!"** Aku said making time out gesture with his hands before turning to Ariel and Ashi. **"There's more AKU here, besides me."**

Ashi grabbed a nearby sword, and Ariel held up her trident in warning, it glowing purple and pulsing with power.

 **"It almost smells like....but it couldn't be."** Aku looked Ashi over as he got closer. **"Or could it...?"**

"Get back!" warned Ashi.

~Stay away from her, you beast!~ Ariel threatened.

Aku then enlarged his nostrils, and took a mighty big whiff, sucking up the smell of Ashi, and the mermaid's gold words.

 **"Yes, I smell ME inside of her,"** Aku exclaimed, referring to Ashi.

Jack's eyes widened in shock, and Ariel turned to look at Ashi in horror, the very idea nearly making her back away. _'If Ashi has Aku inside of her, then that would make her...'_

"Ashi..." Jack gasped in disbelief.

"Jack, Ariel..." Ashi said her voice trembling, sword still held up.

 **"But how could that be?"** Aku asked him, stroking his blood red beard. **"I never, I mean I let that opportunity to have my way with Ariel go, so she's not the mother."**

Ariel shuddered, tears burning under her eyelids. As she shut her eyes trying to forget how Aku had lubriciously fondled her, and insinuated how he'd have his wicked way with the mermaid. But he was right, he never did it with her.

 **"Plus, the lack of a fishtail would be a sign."** Aku's eyes widened in realization. **"Oh, wait. There was that ONE TIME..."**

He recalls visiting the cult some time ago when he personally paid a visit to the members of the Cult of Aku, providing them with some of his essence. He then deduces that the High Priestess drank his essence shortly after and gave birth to the Daughters of Aku.

**"Here you are, a true daughter of Aku!"**

Ashi froze in place. "No."

~It cannot be!~ Ariel looked anxious.

"AKUUUUUUUUU!!" Jack booms.

He goes charging at Aku, sword raised over head, but as he makes the move to cut Aku, the demon seemed calm, and even smiled as his eyes were shut.

And then, metal hit metal. To all but Aku's surprise, Ashi had parried the blow with her own sword.

~Ashi!?~ Ariel asked in shocked, disbelief.

"Ashi, why did you..." Jack trailed off.

"I....I didn't do this!" Ashi denied.

 **"Yes, you did."** Aku smirked as he snapped his eyes wide open.

Ashi suddenly knocked Jack's sword aside, and as Jack tried to keep his grip on the hilt, he was kicked in the stomach by Ashi.

"It's not me!" Ashi cried, her voice was laced with fear.

 **"Of course, it is sweetheart. You wouldn't let your Daddy get hurt by that bad old Samurai or your future stepmother escape?"** Aku taunted before laughing wildly.

Against her will, Ashi leaped towards Jack, sword raised high above her head.

"Jack, Ariel, I can’t stop this! I can’t control myself!" Ashi grunted, her eyes were full of fright.

"You must fight it, fight!" Jack urged fearfully.

"I’m trying!"

"Ashi, listen to me: You are not your father, you are not your mother. You are your own person! You are good. You can defeat him from inside!"

~No, don't!~ Ariel jumped in to block one blow with her trident only to have Ashi involuntarily shove her aside.

"Ariel, I'm sorry!!" Ashi cried out.

 **"Be gentle with your new mother, she's just going through a phase."** Aku cackled.

~BE SILENT!!~ Ariel whirled around and blasted lightning out at Aku, who quickly shoved the robot he was leaning on, over to block the silver trident's shot. And caused it to fall on top of her and the others.

 **"Yaargh! I didn't mean to do that!!"** Aku exclaimed in alarm, thinking he'd just crushed Ariel to death.

Fortunately something cut through the metal then a blast of purple, Ariel and Jack jumped out. They were shaken, but otherwise unharmed. Next came Ashi through a newly carved opening.

~You must be strong, please, Ashi! I don’t want to hurt you!~ Ariel silently pleaded.

 **"No, of course not! You don't want to be the stereotypical stepmother, do you, my feisty redhead?"** Aku teased as he slowly appeared behind Ashi.

~Disgusting worm!!~ Ariel shouted, wishing she had her voice back, nearly brought to tears because of the stress.

 **"Sweetheart, you have to bring out your BEST to defeat him."** Aku said to Ashi with an evil grin. **"And your best part is ME!!"** Aku's eyes then blazed with bright light.

The trio could only watch in endless horror as Aku's dark essence began to gradually cover Ashi starting from her feet to the rest of her body.

"Ashi!" Jack hollered, appalled.

~ No! Oh no! ~ Ariel words wailed.

"Nooooo!" Ashi shrieked as the substance started enveloping her own skin.

Ashi was changed now, her whole body black once more including her face, and her head now had antlers. Four thin horns, glowing white eyes and red flaming eyebrows, her body was taller, leaner, slender and her sword was dark and engulfed in flames.

"Ashi..." Jack murmured with great concern.

~No... ~ Ariel's words bemoaned.

Instantly the figure sprung towards Jack, whilst deliberately ignoring Ariel, drawing a flaming line with her own sword to separate the mermaid from Jack.

~Ashi!~ Ariel quietly exclaimed, she held her trident tightly. She could only observe in dismay as the young woman she'd befriended began fighting her beloved samurai.

Then she got a brief idea, it was reckless and crazy but maybe they could have Ashi back as she was if successful. She turned furiously towards Aku and aimed her trident, releasing a blast of angry purple energy.

 **"Whoa!! Hey, I know there's sparks between us, my Angel-fish but, really?"** Aku yelped as he dodged the blast.

~You...YOU MONSTER!!~ Ariel's words flashed brightly, blinded Aku temporarily.

And that gave Ariel the chance to pepper Aku with multiple blasts from her trident, causing several burns to burst on Aku's flesh.

 **"RAAAAAAGH!! Accursed Sorceress, giving you such a weapon, when this is over I'll deep-six her lighthouse!"** Aku howled in pain and anger.

He yelled again in pain as Ariel caught him in the shoulder, and Aku clawed at the ground, creating a great tremor. Ariel let out a silent yell of alarm, and dropped the trident. Aku lunged forward, and snatched it off the ground before she could take it back.

 **"So much for....Huh?"** Aku was startled when the trident glowed bright purple in his grasp, and burned right through his hand. **"NAAAAAAGH!!!** " He screamed as it dropped to the floor, returning to the scallop-shelled hair-pin form.

Aku hissed in outrage, and kicked at the ground to create a giant pillar of Earth, which sent the hairpin flying through the air and out of sight.

~NO!~ Ariel yelled in alarm, the word big in bold and bright.

Her heart sank, she'd just lost an important gift from the Dark Spectre Queen, one of the few things that gave her a fighting chance against the monster that haunted her most terrifying nightmares. Worst yet, her beloved and her human friend were still locked in combat. ~Stop it!~ she pleaded.

Aku suddenly snatched her up in his hand.

~No! NO!!~ Ariel struggled to break free of Aku's grip. He held her up close, and tapped his claw at her necklace to inspect it.

 **"Hmmm. Very clever device, I would think 'She' was a very gifted magic crafter,"** Aku growled. **"If she didn't constantly get in my way, she and your father would have kept me from conquering ALL of this planet."**

~Let go!~ Ariel words flashed brightly, only for Aku to swipe them away like smoke.

 **"NO. I let you go once, and now I have you once more in my grasp, my delectable little darling."** Aku said leering.

"Ariel!!" Jack yelled in dread.

Suddenly, Jack was sent flying off the robot onto the ground by a strike from Ashi, who then jumped into the air and did a drop kick, creating a large crater from the force of her strength.

 **"That's my girl!"** Aku cheered in glee.

But as Ashi swung her sword down at Jack, he brought up his sword and it broke through, slicing through the skin of her arm. The holy enchanted metal burned like fire, and Ashi screamed as the corruption slid away from her face. Revealing her true human face, hurt, and in pain.

"Ashi?" Jack exclaimed.

~Ashi!~ Ariel cried out in distress.

"Jack, kill me! Kill me and destroy Aku!" Ashi desperately begged.

Jack and Ariel blanched.

"You have to do it – do it now, kill me…" Her words were cut off as the black substance covered her face once more.

Jack faltered, falling to his knees and dropping the sword. "I can't." he mourned.

The corrupted form of Ashi then raised her claws threateningly.

Ariel's eyes widened with horror. ~Ashi... NO! If you kill Jack, you’ll kill me too!!~ She reminded her in desperation.

 **"STOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOP!!"** Aku bellowed.

Ashi's claws stopped an inch from Jack's head, and Aku lifted the ex-mermaid up to his face with a serious expression.

 **"This isn't some ploy to save him is it? What do you mean 'If she kills Jack, she kills you too?'"** He demanded Ariel.

~It's no trick~ Ariel confirmed, ~The deal was that if Jack were to die in his quest then I would perish the following dawn, dissolved into sea-foam. If you don't believe me, ask Vanessa herself.~

 **"No! NOOOOOOO!!!!"** Aku fumed. **"I don't need to, this is just the sorta foul, sneaky, duplicitous maneuver she'd pull! Well, we shall soon resolve this little issue."**

He turned and with his other hand picked up the katana cautiously with his fingertips by the hilt.

 **"For now I have the sword _AND_ you!"** Aku cheered with evil laughter, holding Ariel and the sword up to the sky in triumph, as Jack remained on his knees with his head bowed and a demonized Ashi standing over him.

And through her panic and fear, Ariel could feel her own heart breaking.

* * *

Far away in the North East sea, Vanessa watched it all happened in her gold framed magic mirror, and she held up her claw like hand to rake her talons down the surface of the glass over Aku's face.

"Ohhoho. That's what YOU think!" She hissed as the water around her bubbled and her eyes glowed dark purple.

She turned and in a flash of light, Ariel's hair-pin appeared between her fingers.

"It seems I have to take matters into my own claws, but Athena's daughter will be freed!!" Seething, he grips her ruby necklace tightly in her other hand as it glows bright red.

"And then Aku's going to _writhe_ , I'll see him wriggle LIKE A WORM ON A HOOK!!" She screams as she laughed madly.

_**To be continued…** _


	13. Welcome to the show

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things go from bad to worse

 

It was all like some half-remembered nightmare, with Aku holding her and the sword high up in laughing maniacally before whisking the three of them away to his lair.

There while Ashi remains possessed, Jack is detained and forced to watch as his dear mermaid stares down their mortal enemy face to face.

" **Well, my precious one, it's true I cannot kill you...the powers of the Dark Spectre Queen are very irksome. But we can still enjoy each other's company,** " Aku said as he stroked at her hair, causing Ariel to lean away with disgust. " **Even better, the Samurai will have no choice but to watch as I bind us together in Unholy Matrimony!"**

~What!?~ Ariel exclaimed in shock.

Nearby, Jack looked equally shocked. "No!"

" **Oh, I wouldn't consider having my way with you, not when we weren't even married. But I figured since you have no voice, you can't object at the ceremony."** Aku raised his hands to the ceiling with a jubilant grin. " **Where EVERYONE in the whole world will watch, as I bind us together, forever."**

Cackling, he then waved his hand in the air, and a black wind blew over the little mermaid, and when she looked down she was wearing a form fitting black dress and gloves.

"No, Ariel!" Jack cried out.

" **But now, it's bad luck to see the bride before the wedding** ," Aku said calmly. " **So, until then...** "

Another wave of his hand, and a hole opened up under Ariel, causing her to fall into the hole.

~Ahhhhhhhh!~

Ariel's gold words shot out as she fell down, floating over the words, before falling down with Ariel. Halfway, she fell slowly, floating, until she gently landed at the bottom in a room, with only a single couch for sitting on. To await her fate and truly, the mermaid felt like a prisoner awaiting execution than a bride about to be married.

Ariel is crushed. Her whole world is collapsing around her. ~I can't let anything happen to you Jack, I can't! I don't care what happens to me, oh Jack, Ashi…!~ she buried her face into her arms, sitting on the ground with her arms resting on her knees as she sobbed silently.

* * *

Back up there, the blood rushed from Jack's face.

" **It must sting, Samurai. To see BOTH of these beautiful ladies, who you love in your own way to succumb one by one to my will.** " Aku cackled.

Jack ground his teeth and struggled against his bonds.

"NEVER! Ariel will never succumb to you, I'd sooner die and take her with me knowing we'd be together and safe in the afterlife from you!" Jack shouted.

He doubled over when Ashi punched him in the gut, causing him to bend over with the pain.

**"The bargain was that she would perish if you were destroyed - that witch never said what would happen if she were bound to someone else."**

"And just what do you intend to do if she becomes so desperate to escape you that she'll choose -" he couldn't even bring himself to finish that sentence let alone that awful thought.

" **I can always resurrect her as a mindless drone.** " Aku said tactlessly, and shrugging. " **It's only her voice and body I want, and if she's brought back to life she's bound to recover her voice. And it's not like I've never practiced necromancy before."**

Aku laughed and Jack became sick with the idea, of Ariel's body no longer hers to control, and forced to bow to Aku's degenerate whims. What Jack didn't know the reply was only meant to torment him much worse. But of course the villain wasn't about to reveal his true reasons for keeping Ariel alive.

Just then he looked contemplative, stroking his beard, " **No, better yet I'll grant her eternal youth and immortality so her beauty never fades and her mind intact so she won't lose her reason overtime."**

After all, it will fun to slowly corrupt the winsome mermaid the Samurai had fallen in love with into submission.

" **Ah. It will be glorious, in a few short hours, everyone will be tuned in and I will proceed with the ceremony,"** Aku sneered at Jack. " **I've already got witnesses, I just need a Dark Priestess to perform the Dark Binding. I can always get a caterer and band for later.** "

* * *

Meanwhile, a gold orb emitting a hauntingly beautiful song… was swirling…gliding right towards the dark tower…

It leisurely floated through a wall, and up to a weeping Ariel.

She suddenly looked up in shock, as a bright white light shined on her neck, the gold light gently faded into her throat.

Upon doing so, she opened her mouth so she was singing the same melody. At long last Ariel recovered her voice. She let it grow. She gave it all the sweetness and strength she could.

"Oh! What is this?" She gasped touching her neck. "Why...I can talk! I can speak again!" She cried out jubilantly. "But...how?" She then rubbed her face. "I can't lose focus, I must keep this secret from Aku. At least...until help arrives. And I hope my voice returning means that The Dark Spectre Queen knows I'm in trouble, and is seeking help."

* * *

"Oh, help is on the way, my sweet." Vanessa sighed as she looked at Ariel in her mirror.

She reached out her black scaly hand, and spun the frame backwards, and in a flash of red light it transformed back into her handmaiden, Mira.

Mira wore a golden set of light armor covering her chest and lower torso, although her belly, arms and legs were exposed. Under the chest armor she was wearing a long-sleeved black shirt, with leather and golden gauntlets covering her fists. Her legs were bare, nicely displaying the flesh there, while her feet were shod in leather boots just a bit below the length. She wore a golden Viking-style helmet with delicately curling gold horns.

Vanessa turned to her other handmaiden, Keller.

Keller wore a bright silvery garment that fully covered her chest and arms, but nicely showed her thighs and legs. She wore metal and leather boots with crisscrossing straps on the front of them. Like Mira, she was wearing a helmet, but this one had no horns; instead it had a shiny moonstone-like gem on its center.

"Well, girls, time to pack up. Wake up my stone warlords, we march to Atlantica to warn the Sea King. He must know about this!" Vanessa declared with a finger pointing up to demonstrate the importance of her words.

"And then onward to the surface world..." Keller continued.

"And to Aku's palace..." Mira continued as well.

"To destroy him!" Vanessa shouted in glee.

The Dark Spectre Queen held up her necklace with her clawed hand, the ruby glowed bright red as she chuckled wickedly.

* * *

Meanwhile in Atlantica, despite having received the magical message from Ariel that she was safe and among friends nearly two days ago, Triton was still beside himself with worry.

"Oh your majesty, if anyone could keep her safe, I'm sure that Samurai human could do it." Sebastian tried to sound reassuring.

"And if Vanessa is on this, even more so, don't worry." One of the triceraquins added.

"Yes, and that's the tenth time you've said not to worry. It's time we went looking for Ariel!"

Suddenly the large screen started to fizzle and to the underwater resident's confusion, it showed footage from the pit of hate.

"What in the seven seas...?" Triton scowled.

"What does HE want?!" Urchin shared the sea king's derisive glare.

"Something must've happened." Attina whispered.

Whenever it showed footage from the dark tower, it usually meant Aku had some kind of announcement to make.

* * *

Elsewhere, one of the Scotsman's daughters rode on a deer, and came crashing through the doors of the castle home belonging to her family.

"FATHER!" The girl cried out.

"Shhhhh!" Her sisters shushed her.

"But Aku, he..." She started.

"Quiet, Lass. We know..." The ghost of her father said sadly. "The whole world knows."

He and all his daughters looked on sadly at the scene of the pit of hate shown on the TV-screen.

* * *

The youngsters at the Rave were dancing happily to the beat of the music, but it suddenly stopped, and the large screen showed the pit of hate.

"Akuuuuuu..." The dancers all said in sync, scared.

By now, everyone on Earth was watching the live transmission. What was going on?

* * *

Back in the Scottish castle, the Scotsman glowered.

"Get on with it, you blasted bag of bloated -"

His elder daughter Flora cut him off, "Dad, we can't hear! He's on!"

"Oh! Sorry."

They all watched with bated breath.

"What's with -" one of Sebastian's old band members began.

"Shh! It's starting!" Simon, the sea monster, shushed them, pointing to the screen uneasily.

Images were then shown with Aku's voice narrating.

**"Long ago in a distant land, I, Aku, the shape-shifting Master of Darkness, unleashed an unspeakable evil! But a foolish samurai warrior wielding a magic sword stepped forth to oppose me. Before the final blow was struck, I tore open a portal in time and flung him into the future, where my evil is law! Now the fool seeks to return to the past, and undo the future that is Aku…NOT!"**

Just then Aku himself popped into view.

" **Because, after all these years I have captured Samurai Jack,"** Jack is raised up shackled to a fiery wall. " **As well as his sword..."** The sword is shown stuck on display. " **And the Little Mermaid, Princess Ariel of Atlantica!** "

And out of a hole comes Ariel, dressed in her macabre black wedding dress.

"NO! _ARIEL_!" Triton yells out in dread.

Behind the sea king, all of Ariel's undersea friends and her sisters reacted with horror.

"Oh no!" Alana covered her mouth in misery. Aquata and Andrina hugged each other while shaking with fright.

Adella gasped then turned to sob in Stevie's arms. Arista and Sebastian's old band huddled together. Attina was shaking her head in horrified disbelief; it can't be!

Gabriella signed something worriedly, then Ollie nervously translated, "Somebody please tell me this is all a bad dream…"

"What does he even want her for, to eat her? To keep her in a cage or something?" Arista asked, her voice was full of apprehension.

* * *

" **Now, I know what you're thinking. Or at least, what the Dark Spectre Queen is thinking,"** Aku sneered. " **Because I can't kill The Samurai without annihilating Ariel."**

He turns to a frightened Ariel with a concupiscent grin.

" **But if I should happen to marry her, binding her to me for eternity, then, no problem!** " He laughed wickedly.

* * *

If one listened closely you can hear just about every friend or ally of both Samurai Jack and Ariel say the same thing:

"What?" The teens at the rave frowned.

"WHAT?!" The Scotsman and his daughters' expressions quickly went from dismay to outrage.

"WHAT?!" The woolies and some of the talking dogs' descendants were appalled.

"He's interested in Ariel?!" The farmer - the same one the mermaid had met then later rescued his family on her first trip to the surface world – gasped.

"Oh the poor girl." His wife whispered.

In their huts, the Archers scowled indignantly.

The idea of an amiable young mermaid being forced into marriage with the Deliverer of darkness was horrible, just horrible!

In his hands, the trident glowed fiercely with Triton's anger. "I forbid it!"

Sebastian and Flounder anxiously look over at Ariel's other friends. They are obviously distressed/repulsed about the situation but it looks like there's nothing they can do.

"Nightmare event of the year." Little E, the evil manta's son, says emotionlessly.

"That's the understatement of the century…" Flounder mumbled, holding his children close.

"I think it's time we find this Vanessa." Urchin said darkly.

Sebastian had trouble swallowing, "I was hoping you'd say that."

_"_ _I'm already here..._ _"_  
  
Purple smoke whirled together to reveal Vanessa and her handmaidens, she gave a dry look at the screen and turned to the others.

"Your Majesty, I think we're both in agreement we want to go there. And do to Aku what seagulls do to clams: drop them hard till they smash against a hard surface!" She said smashing her fist against her other hand. She then raises her hand and her necklace starts to glow. "And I'll provide the transportation, and some comforts to ensure you won't be flopping about,"

Waves of energy shot out and wrapped around everyone.

"Shall we crash a wedding?"

* * *

Back in the dark fortress, a morose Ariel was already being prepared for the ceremony in another room.

"You are so lucky to be chosen." A three eyed alien female was saying as she finished adjusting the veil.

~I'm sure you'll find an evil overlord of your own one day.~ Ariel's words said stiffly.

The alien girl paid her no mind and finished her work just as a voice heard from the palace made an announcement.

_"The Wedding ceremony is about to begin!"_

Right on cue, the large door opened, revealing a number of blue-suited shadow minions in two different files in the hallway to keep Ariel within their sights.

"You are to be escorted to the altar," one of them said to her, its yellow-green eyes narrowing in suspicion, "Don't bother trying to escape, there are guards at every door."

~There's no need for violence, I-I'm going through with this.~ Ariel responded diligently.

Alright, this was it – here goes nothing. She walks down the hallways trying not to tremble at all the cold eyes of the guards watching her intently.

Upon reaching the main doors, instantly out of nowhere, unearthly voices had begun singing a minacious refrain.

Ariel gulped, then with her heart beating like a drum with terror, starts down the aisle to the Altar, which was situated right in front of a still confined Jack.

Ashi stood to the side, Aku was on the other, and as Ariel was brought up to the altar, a black veiled woman, with hooved hands appeared behind the altar.

"Are we ready?" The woman said in a voice like croaking of crows.

**"We are, Dark Priestess."** Aku stated.

"Then, you should know, the ceremony will commence. And after the binding, the mermaid will be free of the connection to the Samurai," The priestess turns to look at Jack. "Maybe."

Aku then shrunk down to the same size and height as Ariel.

" **Now, shall we begin?"** He said holding his claw out to the mermaid.

Ariel grimaced, but had no choice other than to place her tiny hand in his own and watch as the Dark Priestess started the ceremony. She takes a bottle of red liquid and a black rope out of her cloak, and she dips the liquid onto her hoof to spread over the rope. Which she then uses to fasten and bind Ariel and Aku's hands together.

"As I unite you today I remind you of those gifts. And in your union may these gifts increase, so your powers may grow in the Service of Evil."

She placed her hoof over Ariel and Aku's hands briefly, before pulling it away.

"So be it."

Ariel stepped backwards, as Aku pulled his hand free.

**"Peeeeeerfect. And now, to sanctify our union..."** Aku then turns to the camera. **"To all those who dare oppose me: Your hero is dead, your hope is dead! _I_ am your one true master! ****Let this be a lesson to all! Time to die, Samurai Jack!"** The demon began shifting his claws into different weapons, then abruptly scratched his head with indecision. **"You know...after all these years, I'm not really sure how I want to do it."**

Ariel quietly let out a sigh of relief, this could be just the opportunity she and Jack needed to stall until help arrives.

~Ashi, can you see me or at least hear Jack?~ Ariel inquired to the other dark shape.

"Ashi, please...you must fight it." Jack called out from his spot.

~Please, fight it. We know you're in there, Ashi...~ Ariel looked behind her at Aku, and then leaned over to whisper. "Ashi, we know you're in there. Fight it for us!" Ariel said for the first time in her voice to Ashi.

The figure that was Ashi shook, and trembled, and inside of the creature Ashi was shown struggling against the blackness.

Suddenly, Aku paused and turned to look toward them, saw Ariel near Ashi and grinned.

" **Well, you two seem to be bonding nicely. I was just thinking of the perfect way for my daughter and I to connect."** Aku gestured to Ashi. " **Daughter, will you do your father a favor, and kill the samurai?!"**

Ariel became horrified, shaking her head frantically.

"No, Ashi! No!" Jack pleaded.

Ashi's head spun all the way around, and though Ariel tugged on her arm, she kept stalking toward Jack.

~No! No!~

" **One more thing: Crown the mermaid, so that the world should be reminded that she now belongs to Aku!** "

The next thing Ariel knew, a small throne popped out from under her, leaving her seated upon it. Her eyes widened as the chamberlain approached to place an ornate black crown on her. Oh no…

"It is my duty and pleasure to crown you-"

Ariel avoided the crown the first time, she didn't want to lose sight of Jack or Ashi. The four armed shadow creature noticed and tried again.

"To crown you-"

She dodged it again, shivering nervously. Except this time she wasn't so lucky, Aku noticed her intentions then snapped his fingers with a glower.

At once, clamps held down Ariel's wrists and her middle to keep her in place.

**"Yes, the simplest solution is usually the best one."**

"Ashi, you can't let it end this way!" Jack urged, "Please, Ashi, fight! _Fight_!"

The possessed shape of Ashi didn't seem to hear him; she only raised her right arm turning it into a pointed spear intending to slay Jack with it.

Just before the crown could be placed on Ariel's head and before Ashi could deal the final blow… the terrified mermaid scrunched up her eyes and took a deep breath. " _NOOOOOOOOO!_ "

**_To be continued…_ **


	14. Strong

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The final fight has begun

Ariel scrunched up her eyes and took a deep breath. "NOOOOOOOOO!!!!"

Her piercing scream seemed to increase and released a massive golden sound wave, it struck the Dark Priestess destroying her and the chamberlain, it struck Ashi causing her to fly away, and it struck Aku slamming him against the wall with a scream of pain. Jack was freed from his bonds and when it all ended, Ariel fell to the floor, her necklace falling off and breaking into pieces.

"Ariel, you can...speak?" Jack exclaimed in shock.

Then she said the word she had been wanting to say for three long months. "Jack…"

 **"What!?"** Aku looked up, holding his head in pain. **"Your voice has returned!? But how..."**

Suddenly, a large explosion got everyone's attention, as the top of the tower was blown up, and let in the sun.

Aku peered out over the top of the blown up lair in shock. **"What the!?"**

There, flying in from all directions were thousands of merfolk, rave teens, triceraquins, dogs and Archers. Everyone Jack and Ariel knew and helped were there. Some flew in ships, or on the back of the large birds, others were on flying chariots, or ran on the ground. All the merfolk and allies of Atlantica were flying with the aid of solid-water inner-tubes. King Triton was flying in the front lines the trident glowing gold as his daughters followed and the army of Atlantica brought up the rear. The army consisting of swordfish, hammer-head sharks and various mermen.

Each of Ariel's sisters were holding a silver trident like Ariel had before she lost it. On the ground was the army of Spartans and stone warriors. And floating up over the lair, dressed in a shimmering white gown with a gold chain belt, her arms held up over her head, crossed and glowing with purple magic was the Dark Spectre Queen of the Ocean.

"Akuuuuuuuuuu, we're hooooooooome!!" She called out cackling.

And everyone attacked, the ravers firing their blasts, the triceraquins, King Triton and his daughters blasting their tridents at the Deliverer of Darkness. While several of the ocean friends of Atlantica engaged in battle with Aku’s forces.

Jack and Ariel beamed in happiness and joy at seeing all their friends.

 **"You pitiful, insignificant Foo-AAAAAAAGH!!!"** Aku started to boast, before screaming in pain when the trident blasts hit him. And then over a thousand arrows shooting into his eyes, fired by the Archers, riding on the back of the Woolies.

Then some white and blue apes lead by the ape man leaped up and struck with long bamboo sticks.

**"Flying monkeys?"**

"No," the ape man responded over his shoulder, "Jump good!"

Aku whirls and sees Triton approaching with Sebastian beside him. He is pointing his trident at the demon.

"Let her go!" The sea king demanded, referring to Ariel.

 **"Excuse me!? I think not, your precious child now belongs to me for all time!"** His triumphant gloating is cut off when he’s peppered with missiles from behind. **"Oh, now who's this?"**

"The three hundred, fight for the one!" declared the Grandson of Spartox.

Triton raises his glowing trident, causing massive bolts of lightning, to strike down on the massive demon.

 **"RAAAAAAGH!!"** Aku screamed in pain.

"Oh, don't leave me out of it!" Vanessa called out, suddenly growing to giant size.

She stretched out her hand, and black substance sprayed out of her fingers tips, searing onto Aku's face.

As everyone fought against Aku and his forces, Jack rushed to Ariel's side, the two embraced.

"Oh, Ariel, I don't believe it. They came, everyone came..." He pulls back to look at her in amazement. "And you can speak again!"

"Yes, and thank goodness I hid it well," Ariel said and abruptly pulled Jack into deep kiss.

"I don't know how, or why, but I am overjoyed to hear your voice again." Jack said as he pulls his lips from Ariel’s.

"But there is still one more thing that needs to be recovered," Ariel said pointing to the Sword. "We’ve got to hurry, I don't know how long the others can hold off Aku!"

Jack nods and the two rush over to the sword, only for Ashi to jump in front of them, creating a wall of fire behind herself. She then formed her arms into blades and lashed out, she nearly hit Ariel, but only sliced off the lower part of the wedding dress. Thus, giving the mermaid more room to move.

Suddenly there is the sound of loud cawing. A battalion of seagulls invaded the tower. Next the army of sea creatures, otters, turtles, lobsters, dolphins, etc., have climbed up on the ledges and are plopping on to the chamber and paths amidst the fight. While the land allies take out the beetle drones, the sea animals and armies of Atlantica zero in on the shadow warriors.

 **"Enough!!!"** Aku bellowed. **"You are all insignificant insects. And insects get...SQUASHED!!"**

Aku moved to squash several Archers and Woolies with his large hand, but Vanessa clapped her hands causing them to teleport away to safety. Aku slowly raised his hand up, and black essence dripped down and formed several hundred smaller Aku's with trident spears.

Despite their best efforts, Jack's allies are slowly overwhelmed by the clones until the sound of bagpipes were heard.

Then somewhere in the fight, the daughters of Triton had moved in and were now in closer range to their youngest sister.

"Ariel!" They'd called out to her.

"Sisters!" Ariel gasped in delight.

"Oh, you have your voice back!" Aquata exclaimed.

"Honestly, Ariel, how do you get yourself into these messes!?" Attina shook her head.

"Where's that cute samurai of yours?" Arista asked.

"Over there!" Ariel points to Jack trying to evade Ashi.

"Oh dear!" Attina exclaimed.

"Sisters, where did you get those tridents?" Ariel quickly asked.

"Oh, the Dark Spectre Queen made them from the silver trident you had lost." Andrina said twirling her trident. "They’re pretty amazing."

"Nowhere near as powerful as Father’s, but still they do the trick." Aquata tells Ariel.

"Girls, you have to help me." Ariel begged.

"Anything, Ariel." Adella tells her.

"You can form whips with your tridents, I assume as I could with mine. I need you all to tie her up," Ariel said.

"Tie who up?" Aquata asked.

"Her!" Ariel cried out, pointing towards a still demonized Ashi.

"Oh...HER!" Alana said with a nervous gulp.

The sound of bagpipes was getting stronger, it was coming from what looked like a ghostly apparition of the Scotsman leading the charge with an entire battalion of strong young women riding stags.

"Isn't that the human who was with your samurai when they arrived to Atlantica?" Adella pointed out.

"Eh, Bonny-lass, how are you!!" The Scotsman greeted Ariel with his arm open.

He made to hug her, passing right through her body.

"Whoops. I plum forgot about that." Scots said with a ghostly blush.

"Tell me about it." A ghost bird said appearing.

"Scuttle!" Ariel cried out in joy.

"Well, look at what the catfish dragged in!" Scuttle chuckled, floating in front of Ariel. "Boy, you haven't changed, except to grow more beautiful!" 

"It's been too long." Ariel smiled happy to see her old friend.

"Yeah, but I'm in a better place, lots of snarfblats to blow on and whatsitz to fiddle. Then the Dark Spectre Queen offered me a chance to come by and do you a solid. So, I came by and with a little magic, gathered ALL the creatures of the sea to come help you, Sweetie." Scuttle said with a big grin.

"But what's happened to you?" Aquata asked the question on their minds to the Scotsman.

"Oh, I was killed by that big baby over there. But a wee bit of Celtic magic kept me around." The Scotsman bragged.

"Oh, well, I wish we could say that's the strangest thing we heard." Andrina commented.

"But by this point, it's just a new mildly alarming." Arista piped up.

"I tell you lass, I was THIS close to asking Jack to marry one of my daughters," The Scotsman said to Ariel, who puffed up her cheeks in offense. "Oi, I didn't think you could leave the sea anymore, and he was a sorry, sad, sack of sorrow. And since he obviously had a thing for redheads."

He turns to Ariel's sisters.

"Ack! Forgive me manners, I haven't introduced you to me daughters." The Scotsman said.

He started naming his daughters one by one starting with the eldest Flora.

Ariel and her sisters were thrown for a loop, the female Scottish humans riding the deer were all daughters of the Scotsman? Amazing!

"Eh, when you're done there, we've got a situation." Andrina reminded just as Jack was herded towards them by Ashi's attacks.

"Sisters, NOW!!" Ariel cried out.

Instantly, the girls hold up their tridents, which shoot out an energy whip, encircling the blob of darkness.

"Ariel, I don't know how we can reach Ashi." Jack said worried.

"We can't. Not from the outside, so we need to do it from inside!" Ariel said.

She then charged, and jumped into the mass of liquid darkness.

"ARIEL!?" Jack, Ariel's sisters and Scuttle yelped in alarm.

Vanessa hears them, as she teleports the ravers, birds, and dogs to safety when the clones attack them, and looks down into the lair.

"Oh crud, I forgot she was gonna do that." Vanessa sighed then called out to Jack. "What are you waiting for, Jack? Go after her!"

"You’re right, I lost her once, I won't lose her, nor Ashi!" Jack boldly declared.

He then charges and jumps into the blob of darkness.

"Are they nuts!?" Aquata asked the Scotsman.

"As a bag of acorns, Lass." Scotsman said.

All of a sudden, a large stone Samurai appearing, and punching Aku grabbed their attention.

"Wow, now you don't see that very often!" Adella and the Scotsman say in sync.

* * *

Deep within the mass of darkness, both mermaid and Samurai pushed their way through until they spotted Ashi's true self huddled in pain.

"Ariel? Jack?"

"Yes, we are both with you, but you must fight it, Ashi!" Jack encouraged.

"Don't give in!" Ariel urged.

Ashi’s eyes briefly pop open.

"Ariel...Ariel, your voice...!" she exclaimed in shock then sobs with a smile. "It's so beautiful, I'm happy I was able to hear it...just this once."

"No, Ashi!!" Ariel cried out.

"You must hold on, Ashi! For both of us, me, Ariel and yourself!" Jack encouraged her.

"Just stay with us. Please." Ariel begged.

* * *

Outside, Aku was fed up as the giant Stone Samurai ripped off his horns, and pulled out a samurai sword like Jack's. Aku regrew his antlers.

"ENOUGH!!" He bellowed. At his call, all the clones stopped fighting, and came back to rejoin Aku's body.

He shot up into the sky, and formed into a giant cloud of blackness, and started to form spikes. Which then shot down by the thousands down at the warriors.

"Oh, Merciful Hera!" Vanessa cried out in horror. "Triton!"

"I'm with you!" Triton declared.

The two powerful beings flew up, and went back to back, she raised her purple glowing hands, and Triton his golden glowing trident. And Vanessa's sampo glowed bright red, the three beams of red, purple and gold energy shot up, and burst into millions of tendrils.

"SHIELDS!!" The Spartan king cried out.

All of his men raised their shields to block the spears of darkness shooting down at them, but it proved moot. For to everyone's surprise, energy fields came to form around and protect them from the attacks.

"That does it!" The Scotsman bellows. "You've pushed this Scottish ghost too far! FEAR THE CALL, OF THE PHANTOM PIPES OF LALA-GOOLROG!"

He then proceeded to blow on the pipes, and conjured up a blast of blue sound energy, which blasted away the spikes and blew them back up to the cloud.

* * *

And all the while, the two inside the black mass struggled to free Ashi.

"I can't fight it....can't..." Ashi wept as the darkness crept across her face.

"Ashi, no!" Jack cried out.

"Ashi...Ashi!" Ariel started to cry and she began to softly sing. " _Oh, the waves roll low,_ _And the waves roll high, And so it goes._ "

It was the same lullaby her mother had sang to Ariel and her sisters years ago.

" _Under a bright blue endless Sky, waves try to measure, the days that we treasure…Wave hello, and wave goodbye…_ "

A familiar, gentle song formed in her heart, and she began to sing the new words softly.

" _So hold onto to me, and let us try. To stay together, with all our might. So we can walk, so we can run, so we can stay all day in the sun! Just us three, and we can be, Part of your World…_ "

As Ariel sang the final note, a golden wave of energy came from her mouth and hearing the song encouraged Jack to make one final plea.

"Ashi, we love you. Myself and Ariel both, _we love you_!"

* * *

 

The moment they said the magic words, the two were forcibly expelled from the dark mass and onto the ground. Ariel's sisters’ grip with the energy whips broke sending them backwards, they were only stunned not unharmed.

Ariel pushed herself up with her hands and gasped as Ashi lunged towards Jack.

"Ashi, no!!" the mermaid screamed as the daughter of Aku started to strangle her love.

But suddenly, the talons slackened their grip on Jack's neck, Ashi stood back as Ariel rushed to help Jack stand. They watched in surprise as the flaming eyebrows puffed out, the white eyes shrunk to nothing, and the antlers sunk away as the black corruption slid away from the face, revealing a human Ashi, albeit with the black skin-tight body suit as before.

"Ashi, you're back!" Ariel threw her arms around the young girl in relief.

Flabbergasted, the other six daughters of Triton neared their younger sister and the human girl that was once a frightening replica of Aku.

"Is this the young girl you mentioned?" Alana asked Ariel.

The little mermaid smiled, "Yes, this is Ashi." she then smiled, "Ashi, these are my sisters."

"Oh, it's a pleasure to meet you all." Ashi bowed to them with a bashful smile. "I've heard such wonderful things about you."

"Well, sad to say we only heard a little bit." Arista said sheepishly.

"But that's because it's not easy to keep in contact when your baby sister is a mermaid turned human on land." Aquata remarked with a chuckle.

"I have to say, Jack, you certainly look good for a human over 50." Attina remarked sardonically.

"I suppose." Jack blushed self-consciously.

While Aku continues battling the robot Samurai, Triton quickly swims over upon seeing Ariel, they tightly embrace, overcome with emotion. Sebastian and Flounder swim towards them to join the hug.

"Oh, sweetheart. Why didn't you come to ME if you wanted legs?" Triton asked. "You’re over fifty, I trust you to be able to take care of yourself."

"Oh, now you tell me!" Ariel said in disbelief.

"You were always rushing off without considering all the options, Child." Sebastian scolded.

"It is cool to be on land, even if I'm technically swimming." Flounder said doing loop-de-loop in the air.

"Your Majesty." Jack said bowing to Triton, and Ashi follows with a blush, after realizing who the older merman was.

"Samurai Jack," Triton nodded respectfully, "It is good to see you with my daughter, I only wish it was under better circumstances."

"Regardless of the circumstances, I am happy to be with Ariel, and for her family to be here too." Jack said respectfully.

Ariel’s loved ones were relieved to see her alive and herself, now all that’s left is for them to survive this fight against their common enemy.

_**To be continued…** _


	15. Ending 1 – Here on the land and sea

A loud explosion caught their attention, as Vanessa blasted Aku with a powerful blast from her necklace, which sent him crashing near the group. Triton held up his glowing trident in alarm.  
  
 **"A little family reunion, eh?"** Aku snarked as he struggled to stand. **"But I sadly must cut it short, and YOU!!"** Aku shouts pointing to Jack and Ariel. **"You’re supposed to be dead, and stay away from MY wife!"**   
  
"I am not, nor will I ever be your wife!" Ariel shouted irately.  
  
"And Jack will never die!" Ashi declared vehemently.  
  
"Not as long as we have anything to say about it!" Triton added, him and his daughters holding up their tridents.  
  
"Any ideas?" Flounder whispered to Sebastian.   
  
"We got to get the sword or that boy is cooked!"  
  
Immediately, Aku struck out at Jack, but found his hand blocked by the glowing golden trident of King Triton. He let out a yell of pain as the trident zapped his hand, he lumbered backwards, as he was pelted by blasts from Ariel's sisters.  
  
All the while, Sebastian, Flounder, Ashi, Ariel and Jack rushed to retrieve the sword.  
  
"You think that if you want something you're entitled to it no matter what? That's not how things work." Ariel snapped at their deadly foe as the others dodged a strike.  
  
 **"I offer you eternal life, everlasting youth, a chance to live on land, and this is how you repay me!?"** Aku bellowed through the pain of the blasts. His attempts to shape shift were met with unyielding assault.  
  
"I never asked for it, and I would refuse if it came from you!!" Ariel yelled.  
  
Incensed, Aku managed to turn himself into a giant scorpion, and grabbed Attina and Arista in his claws.  
  
"GIRLS!!" Triton cried out.  
  
"Oh no!" Ariel screamed.  
  
 **"THEN WATCH, AS I TEACH YOU A LESSON: BY DESTROYING YOUR FAMILY BEFORE YOUR EYES, ONE BY ONE, SO YOU WILL ONLY KNOW AKU!!"** Aku snarled.  
  
But before he could bring his stinger down either one of the sisters, a chakram of purple energy, flew through the air and severed his tail from his body.  
  
 **"YAAAARGH!!!"** Aku yelled, falling to the ground and releasing the two mermaids, who frantically swam through the air away from Aku.  
  
The demon looked up with a snarl as the attacker revealed herself.  
  
"Well, well, it's been too long, Aku." Vanessa sneered as she floated down to the ground, twirling a purple chakram with both her hands pinkie fingers. "How I longed for this day to show up, as revenge for deformation of my body!" Vanessa hissed in anger.  
  
She threw the other two chakram's, and sliced off Aku's claws, reverting him back to his original self.  
  
 **"You...you should THANK ME!! I gave you ultimate power, which I now regret most sorely."** Aku coughed.  
  
"NO!! You ruined my life, did you not think I wanted to have children, to marry, fall in love, and care for my own family? But you took that away from me, all those eons ago." Vanessa said as her two handmaidens appeared from behind. "You tainted me with your essence, and tried to make me your evil sister. But I fought against your magic, and even acquired the Sampo." Vanessa cupped her ruby necklace in her hand. "But though it gave me unlimited white magic to keep your infernal energies from overwhelming me...." She reaches up to look at her scaly, deformed claw of a hand. "It did something to my looks."  
  
 **"Blargh!!!"** Aku snarled, turning his fist into a hammer and shooting it at Vanessa.  
  
Keller stood in front of her mistress, turning into a silver shield in a flash of light. And the hammer bounced harmlessly off its surface. Aku roared with rage, and blasted his eye beams at the Dark Spectre Queen, but Mira stood in front of the silver shield and turned into her mirror form.  
  
The beams bounced off her mirror surface, and struck back at Aku, frying his body.  
  
 **"GAAAAAH!!"** Aku yelled. **"You are only delaying the inevitable, you cannot destroy me SORCERESS!! Even with all your powers, you could never wipe me out of existence."**  
  
Vanessa smiled as her handmaidens returned to human form, stepping aside as she stepped forward with a vicious smile.  
  
"Oh, I don't need to kill you, JUST STALL FOR THE ONE WHO CAN!!" Vanessa shouted.  
  
 **"What!?"** Aku gasped.  
  
"AKUUUUUUUUUUU!!!!"  
  
Aku looked up, just in time to see Jack leaping down at him, the katana in his grasp. With one mighty swipe, Jack sliced off his head.  
  
A loud unearthly scream filled the air, everyone covering their ears, as Aku's body instantly started to burn and dissolve in front of them until it vanished into nothingness. And with that, Aku was gone. Forever.  
  
With the demon vanquished, the dark tower started to fall apart.  
  
"Time to go!" Scuttle squawked.  
  
Quickly, the heroes and their allies hitched rides to get far away from the crumbling fortress.  
  
Everyone stared in shock and awe at the demolished tower, and before long, loud cheers were heard; not just with the army of Jack's friends. But all over the world for it was still being televised, everyone sang and cried with happiness over the defeat of the mighty Aku. The seals and dolphins screeched/barked in joy, the apes hooted alongside them, the merfolk swam/flew in circles in the air, and several of the Scotsman’s daughters grabbed the nearest Spartan, or Archer, male ravers or Triceraquin to land a victorious smooch. Luckily, the Scotsman didn't see as he was too busy blaring his bagpipes in victory.  
  
"We did it!" Ashi cheered.  
  
"Oh Jack, it's over, he's gone!!" Ariel wept, hugging Jack.  
  
Jack hugged her back, and lifted her chin to plant a sweet kiss on her lips, causing the mersisters to gush at the sweet scene, and Triton to grumble, only to be nudged by the Dark Spectre Queen, who gives him a small smile.  
  
Sebastian laughed happily, "Dat monster finally got what was coming to him!"  
  
"We did it – we did it together!" Flounder cheered.  
  
"This calls for one big party!" Scuttle's ghost whooped excitedly.  
  
Jack smiled gently but then his face fell. No more time portals means he cannot return to the past, what's worse, he won't age properly.  
  
"Jack...your home..." Ashi said softly, remembering what it meant for him.  
  
"Yes, even if Aku is gone, at least in this time, I have no way to return home to undo it all." Jack said.  
  
"But why would you?"   
  
They turn to Vanessa, who floats over to the Samurai, Mermaid and former demon daughter.  
  
"You’re here, with the woman you love, the Earth is free, and you have MILLIONS who will adore and praise you for your deed. You’re practically guaranteed a happy life, do you really want to go back?"  
  
Ariel turns to Jack, who looks at her lovingly, but frowns.  
  
"I have to...I can't be selfish. And my family, they will die in slavery… so many will if I don't return also." Jack turns to Ariel with a sad expression. "I do not age, even if Ariel's people live to be 300 years old....I will have to watch her age, and die while I continue on living." That’s something he cannot bear.  
  
Ariel looked stricken, forgetting that and threw herself into Jack's arms, hugging him tightly. All the others seemed to share their sadness.  
  
"No man...should have to watch the woman he loves perish." Triton said sadly. He was speaking from personal experience having had to watch the untimely death of his beloved Queen Athena decades ago.  
  
"Oh please, Vanessa. Isn't there anything you can do?" Ariel pleaded earnestly, turning from Jack to the Sorceress.  
  
"ME? Hmmm…" Vanessa purses her lips tightly together, and thinks carefully. "Well, I do know a spell to send someone back through time. But are you sure about this?"  
  
"Yes!" Jack confirmed determinedly.  
  
"I...." Ariel looks to her family, then runs over to hug her father, and her sisters join in.  
  
"I'm going miss you all, so very much. But if we succeed, then Aku will never have happened. And....I do love Jack, Daddy." Ariel said to Triton.  
  
"I know, this is the only problem left for us: How much we're going to miss you." Triton said kissing his youngest on the cheek.  
  
"But who knows what the future, or past as it were will hold for you." Attina spoke up.  
  
"Oh!" Vanessa then interrupts, "Not so fast. I can send you both to the past, but there are a few complications you all must consider. 1: If you return to the past and eliminate Aku there's a good chance that Ashi will cease to exist as well several others. Also even if your friends exist under a happier future, none of them will remember ever meeting you Jack or more than likely you’ll never meet Ariel either. 2: The time spell I require will take at least six long months - so that neither of you will suffer any negative repercussions."  
  
"Six months?" Jack exclaimed in surprise.   
  
"Calm down, it would send you just seconds after Aku had sent you to the future so that it will seem as though hardly any time has passed at all."  
  
"I suppose after fifty years, I can wait a little longer." Jack considered her words.  
  
"Then that means I can show you both Atlantica," Ariel exclaimed, she swept Ashi up into a tight hug. "Oh, Ashi, you’re going to love it."  
  
"After everything you told me about the sea kingdom, I'm thrilled to even get a chance to glimpse it." Ashi said with a smile.  
  
"Oh, that reminds me." Vanessa hold up her hand, and in a flash of light a green bottle with a yellow glass stopper appeared in her hand.  
  
"You two will want to drink this potion, it shall enable you to live underwater, and it will last for a whole year." Vanessa said handing it to Jack and Ashi. "I mean, no point in turning you into merpeople, if you’re traveling through time. Plus, giving you back your legs will be needless suffering."  
  
"Aye. But what about Ariel, she's human now, isn't she?" The Scotsman’s ghost declared.  
  
"Oh, that'll be easier. We just let her turn back into a mermaid for the time being, and Triton can just make her a permanent human before she has to leave." Vanessa said with a laugh.  
  
"But how does Ariel turn back?" Andrina asked.  
  
"Oh, simple." Vanessa suddenly extended her talons super long, and stabbed him through the arm.  
  
"AAAGH!" Jack yelled in pain.  
  
"JACK!!"  
  
"LADDIE!!"  
  
"WHOAH!!"   
  
Everyone yelled.  
  
Vanessa waved her hand, and Ariel was pulled over by an unseen force, and Vanessa held out Jack's injured arm. To everyone's shock, his wound instantly healed, but his blood dripped onto Ariel's exposed legs. And then to everyone’s shock, a red mist started to swirl around Ariel, and when it died down - She was a mermaid again!  
  
"What the...Whoa!!" Ariel cried out as she fell over, no longer having legs.  
  
"What was that about!?" Ashi shouted in disbelief.  
  
Vanessa held up her hands and backed away slightly from the glances sent her way.  
  
"Relax everyone. Jack's fine. See?" Vanessa gestured to his arm, as he picked up Ariel bridal style. "But only his blood can undo the spell that made her into a human."  
  
"And you couldn't have warned the lad, before you made him bleed like a stuck pig!?" The Scotsman demanded incredulously.  
  
"I would've cut myself willingly if you'd told me!" Jack said in admonishment.  
  
"Yes, but then Ariel would be upset at your hurting yourself, and I'm already known as the dark magic using witch. So, everyone expects me to do it. So, I did." Vanessa said with a shrug. "Sorry, it's just how the magic works."  
  
Ashi stared at the mermaid’s fin, as she pulled out the scale, somehow keeping it the whole time they’ve traveled together, and holding it up to Ariel’s fish tail as she was cradled in Jack's arms.  
  
"The exact same one I found months ago... a perfect match." Ashi whispered nostalgically.  
  
"In the meantime, as your friend Scuttle said: the world is in for a long overdue celebration." Vanessa smiled.  
  
Everyone cheered.  
  
"Which reminds me dear," The Dark Spectre Queen added to Ariel, "There's a little friend of yours here."  
  
A familiar little fairy flew up to Ariel. "I can help you, you need only make the wish."  
  
Ariel looked thoughtful for a moment then whispered into the little being’s ear, whose eyes widened slightly before smiling and nodding.  
  
Just like Scuttle exclaimed that afternoon there was quite a celebration on both the land and sea. Afterwards, the heroic trio decided to spend four months in Atlantica, Ariel made sure to show them the sights and introduce them to everyone she knew.  
  
While Ariel showed them around, Flounder went up to Ashi and asked for her help with a surprise. Ashi agreed, and one morning, as the little mermaid showing the gardens to Jack, Ashi and Flounder swam up to them.  
  
"Guys, come and see!" Flounder cried out.  
  
"Oh, yes, you’re both gonna want to see this." Ashi said in excitement. She'd been on a high, ever since they first came swimming into the undersea kingdom.  
  
Ariel and Jack looked at each other in amusement, and followed the two and the mermaid was shocked when they came to her old grotto.  
  
"What is it?" Jack asked when he noticed Ariel's expression.  
  
"This....is where I used to store my human things, until Father found out, and destroyed them." Ariel explained with sad nostalgia.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry, he seems such a loving father. I can't imagine him doing such a thing," Jack said in surprise. "IT was due to his initial prejudice towards humans?"   
  
"Yes, but he's much better now, especially after meeting you, and everyone getting together to defeat Aku." Ariel said with a smile.  
  
She took Jack's hand, and got the Samurai to spin in a twirl with her, as ever since they were underwater, she'd coerced Jack into doing swimming moves and stunts and truly, Jack found it exhilarating. Especially, since he could see Ariel in her natural form, in her own element.   
  
The two watched as Ashi set the boulder covering the cave entrance aside, and they started to swim in.  
  
"Ashi, why can't you just tell us what this is?" Ariel said with a grin.  
  
"You'll see. It's a surprise." Ashi said with a larger grin.  
  
Indeed it was.  
  
For when Ariel and Jack entered her old grotto, Ariel could barely restrain her gasp: All her treasures, her old collection had been completely restored, pristine, as if that day never happened. What’s more, in the center of the grotto was a statue, a smooth, expertly sculpted marble statue of the Samurai and the little mermaid.  
  
It showed Ariel, held bridal style by Jack, in her mermaid form. The two gazing at each other lovingly. Jack had let out a breath of surprise, and awe of the beautiful detail put into the statue.  
  
"Flounder and I went to the Dark Spectre Queen, we wanted to give you something you once lost." Ashi said. "Since you and Jack had already given me so much, we went searching for black pearls, and when we had enough we paid Vanessa to restore your treasures."  
  
"I told Ashi all about your treasure cove, and how much they meant to you when you were younger," Flounder said. "And she agreed to chip in with me to get it restored. The Statue that was a bonus gift from Vanessa, so we could put it in the palace garden, and everyone would remember you."  
  
"Oh Flounder," Ariel was moved to tears. "Ashi, Flounder, you’re the best!!"  
  
Ariel grabbed both and spiraled in the water, hugging both overjoyed.  
  
"It is truly remarkable." Jack said coming over to plant a kiss on Ashi's cheek.  
  
"It's too much. All my things, my dingle-hopper, my gadgets, my gizmos, and my thingamabobs. They're all here!" Ariel cheered, over the moon with joy. "And this looks just like Jack, it even has his eyes!" Ariel added looking at the statue.  
  
"Hehehe. Why Jack, run away with you?" Ariel said as if the statue was talking. "Why this is all so...so sudden!"  
  
Ariel giggled, and Jack swam up behind her to scoop her into a tight hug.  
  
"Now I am jealous. You are flirting with another me." Jack teased kissing Ariel behind the ear.  
  
"Oh, don't worry, I'm partial to the original." Ariel reassured him.  
  
Flounder and Ashi watched with big smiles, delighted to see the couple so happy after so many trials and hardships.   
  
"Come, you must tell us the story behind each of your treasures." Jack said once he and Ariel were done hugging.  
  
That same afternoon Ariel regaled of how her curiosity of human artifacts began, how she and Flounder would visit sunken ships in search of what she now knew were common everyday objects and of the inaccurate humorous knowledge Scuttle told them of human culture. And how one time, the Lobster Mobster and the Evil Manta had mistaken a simple boot for a secret weapon - she'd gotten an amused laugh out of the other two, now that she looks back on the memory, it was rather silly even if her father hadn´t thought so at the time.

* * *

  
  
The months seem to go by in a whirl of wedding planning and cheerful memories. From the time they swam into Spot and his pod - the friendly orca had taken quite well to Ashi and Jack, to the music filled nights at the club with Sebastian, Arista and the band.  
  
By the end of the second month, the wedding had taken place on a ship so that both friends from the land and sea could bear witness to a joyous event.  
  
When the time came, Triton used his golden trident to transform his youngest daughter into a human being, decking her in a sparkling silvery wedding gown. Before long, she and Jack were saying their vows, Ashi standing to the side in a lovely ocean blue kimono, with fish patterns on them, weeping tears of joy.  
  
And soon Ariel and Jack were kissing, and she swore she could feel her soul joining with Jack's. Everyone all over cheered, roaring with joy. It seemed the whole planet Earth shook with the pride and happiness for the newly married couple.  
  
But the joyous moment had a tinge of worry, as she and Jack would travel back to the past to defeat Aku, but soon the Dark Spectre Queen and the little fairy, resting on Vanessa's shoulder, stepped forward to the newlyweds.  
  
"And now, you'll seen be off to the past." Vanessa sighed. "But we both have a gift for you, mine is the spell to send you home, Samurai." Then she held up a lovely necklace, a gold nautilus shell with a large pearl fit in the opening on the side. "But this is for you, My Little Mermaid." She wrapped it around Ariel's neck. "This necklace belonged to your mother, and she used it to talk to me from afar. Now, if you ever wish to speak to anyone here, your family, or friends. You need only rub the pearl and think of who you wish to speak to."  
  
Ariel was overjoyed, and putting the necklace on, embraced the sorceress tightly.  
  
"Thank you, you've given me more than I could ever ask for." Ariel whispered in awe.  
  
"Oh, sweetie, it's the least I can do, and truly, I've watched over you and your family, your whole life. I've seen your kind heart, and you deserve this." Vanessa whispered back, kissing Ariel on the cheek in a motherly manner.  
  
"And I have a gift for you too." The fairy said fluttering over Ariel and Jack.  
  
Ariel nods, "You know what to do."  
  
The fairy smiled. "Of course."  
  
A pulse of magic sparked once from her, then grew like ripples enveloping the entire globe then faded.  
  
"What was that about?" Jack questioned curiously.  
  
Ariel smiled radiantly, "Just so that your friends and allies from this time will never forget you or will vanish if we're ever in need of them or vice-versa."  
  
During the tossing of the bouquet, Flora, the eldest daughter of the Scotsman was the lucky one to catch it.  
  
Now it was the time for goodbyes. Scuttle and the Scotsman being ghosts, could only offer congratulations and a safe journey. One of the triceraquins was gracious enough to hold up Flounder and Sebastian so Ariel could kiss them goodbye.  
  
To Ariel and Ashi's surprise, and both Triton and Jack's unease, Demongo has attended the wedding with his lover Giselle. Both wished the couple luck on their quest.  
  
Ashi, in the meantime, had decided to remain in the future, having become fascinated with the undersea kingdom of Atlantica yet she wished the couple all the happiness in the world.  
  
"We'll take good care of her, Ariel." Attina reassured their youngest sister.  
  
"Whenever you're ready." Triton gently tells Ashi, who nodded.  
  
The young woman stood on the deck with her arms outstretched. Triton then aimed his trident at her, emitting the familiar low humming accompanied by a gentle golden mist that enveloped Ashi's body.  
  
Instantly, she rose gracefully into the air, her dark locks gently swayed as though by an invisible breeze, a warm smile on her face. When the glow vanished, the young woman possessed now wore a green top and her legs had turned into fins once more. With a smile of joy she dove into the ocean to join the royal family then emerged to watch.  
  
Ariel tosses two roses out onto the ocean. Triton picks one up, while Ashi takes the other. They look up at the couple with an expression of both happiness and sadness. They return the glance wistfully, before Ariel gently blows a goodbye kiss.  
  
Vanessa then recited the spell needed to send the mermaid and the Samurai back to the past.  
  
 _"Ring-round-rhyme~  
~Send Samurai Jack and Ariel, back in time~"_  
  
She shoots a beam from her Sampo onto the water, and tornado comes out of it, it sucks up the couple, sending them back to the past.  
  
Triton, Ashi and all their friends’ wave to Jack and Ariel as they leave, going through the portal.  
  
They were successful in their quest. Yes, the change in lifestyle was great but they faced it together. Ariel made a kind, wise empress when the time came, beloved by her kingdom as much as her brave husband. And their happiness was complete with the arrival of their children: a pair of twins.  
  
And their story was passed down from generation to generation, leaving behind several mementos: a scale, the sword and the tapestries depicting the tale.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's ending 1 - thought I'd give two members of our heroic trio see more of Atlantica without hurry.


	16. Ending 2 - Part of your world

A powerful blast from Vanessa’s necklace sent their most feared foe crashing near them.  
  
**"Come to whisk away your youngest, Sea king?"** Aku sneered, **"Your efforts are in vain, the union is legally binding here and within your realm."**  
  
This didn’t stop Triton nor his other daughters from holding up their tridents in warning.  
  
"Don’t come any closer!" Ariel snapped.  
  
**"Is that any way to treat your consort, and after all the lies he’s told you for years?"**  
  
"Lies? What lies--?" Triton demanded. A quick meaningful glance from Sebastian permitted Ashi to give Jack a chance to end things once and for all.  
  
**"You told her the world above was foul, and what was it instead?"**  
  
Ariel bit her lip in remembrance. "Wondrous. Beautiful beyond compare."  
  
**"However, I'm more than willing to ignore this little transgression of yours. Think of what the future will hold for you, my precious one. Especially if you gave Aku powerful offspring to challenge the remaining realms left in the universe, where his evil cannot breach their protective barriers."**  
  
"I think I’m gonna be sick." Andrina grimaced, sharing the others’ disgust.  
  
"Not if I beat you to it." Flounder retorted, making a face.  
  
"I have a future, and he's coming to seal your doom!!" Ariel taunted with a defiant lift of her chin.  
  
**"Huh!?"** Aku blinked in surprise.  
  
"Akuuuuuuuuuuuuu!!"  
  
The demon turned just in time to see the Samurai lunging down at him, sword in hand, and Aku desperately began to plot.  
  
**"If I can't have her, no one will!!"** He roared then emitted a low-frequency shriek creating a few white rings directly over the little mermaid. Just then Jack decapitated Aku, and causing him to burn away into nothing.  
  
For a moment, the white rings hovered above Ariel’s head and became a solid white circle of light. "What is… this?"  
  
It all happened so quickly; from the circle, the white rings flowed down around the ex-mermaid, surrounding and keeping her in place. Her family and friends from both land and sea shouting and calling her name in distress.  
  
"Ariel!!" Flounder and Sebastian hollered.  
  
"ARIEL!!" Jack gasped, rushing to her side, but the force of the winds coming from the flashing white rings kept him and several of his friends back.  
  
"Ariel!!" Ashi screamed in horror, seeing her mother figure being enveloped into the portal.  
  
"ARIEL!!" Vanessa cried out, reaching out her hand a ball of purple energy shot out. It struck Ariel, but instead of pain, the redhead felt something wrap around her waist. "TAKE MY BAG OF GIFTS, AND LOOK FOR YOUR IN-LAWS!!" shouted the Dark Spectre Queen.  
  
"My in laws -?" Ariel gasped even as she reached for Ashi and Jack’s hands. But they were gone, as she was sucked downwards into the time portal, and it closed. All that remained was the echo of her frantic cries.  
  
Leaving Jack, Ashi, Triton, Vanessa, Flounder, Sebastian, Scuttle and Ariel's sisters to stand around in devastation.  
  
"She's gone! She's gone!" Triton cried out in horror, his hand falling on the empty spot just moments where his youngest daughter once stood. His other six daughters floated over, looking just as upset.  
  
"Where did she go!?" Sebastian gasped, his pincers on his cheeks.  
  
"Not where.... _When_." Jack said saddened.  


* * *

  
  
For Ariel, it was as though she were trapped in a shrieking maelstrom of flashing light, her body and limbs contorting nightmarishly. Except it sucked her straight through the funnel-like middle instead of round and round the edges.  Finally the rushing force stopped and the little ex-mermaid stumbled from the tunnel of light onto the ground. As she sat up, she found herself in a barren landscape.  
  
"Jack? Ashi? Daddy? Sisters!?" Ariel called out, as she tried to stand, then audibly whimpered at the unwelcome sensation as though she were stepping on knives.  
  
She looked left and right, nothing looked familiar and there was no definitely sign of her loved ones. "Where am I?!" she wailed.  
  
For a moment, tears sprung to her eyes, then she took a deep breath to calm down. First thing’s first, she had to find out where was. Next, she heard sounds coming from a few yards away, Ariel got up and starting walking towards where it was coming from. Though at a slower pace due to the pain in her feet, straight through a forest of burnt trees and scorched plains.  
  
The closer she got, the more nervous she felt.  She placed her hand on what she thought was a tree, but when she looked up, she’d gasped before swiftly covering her mouth in fright.  It was a totem with the visage of the Shogun of Sorrow.  What’s more, the entire barren area was riddled with monolithic idols of Aku.  
  
Ariel held one of her wrists nervously and was startled upon feeling something in her hair. She reached up and found her silver hair-pin, the same one given to her by the Dark Spectre Queen.  
  
"I...did she give this back, but why?" she wondered. Then she suddenly remembered what Vanessa had called out before the mermaid was pulled through the portal: _Look for your in-laws._  
  
She gasped softly in understanding. Of course, it was a time portal that flung her into the past – _Jack’s past_! Ariel was literally in Jack’s country, which means she’d have to find Jack’s parents. Thankfully, her clothes had changed from the dark wedding dress back to the simple powder blue kimono; it would be much easier to move in and would inspire a bit more confidence. She’d still have to be careful: if this was the past that meant Aku was still alive in this era. A single redhead among the natives of this land would stand out, the demon’s underlings would know at a glance that she’s a foreigner – she cannot afford to be captured. Both Jack’s family and his kingdom needed her help, make no doubt that she was going to give it to them.  
  
As she steadily ventured up a rocky hill, Ariel looked out onto what seemed to be a mix of a mining field and a slave camp. To her left, she could see enormous dirt pits and long cart rails leading in or out, while to her right, was an gaping mine cavern built to resemble the monstrous face of the shapeshifter. That’s when she spotted what she was looking for: Humans.  
  
Thousands of enslaved humans in rags forced to work under the sharp eyes of the demonic minions that served Aku. The red suited specters– these must be the slave drivers- with pitch black flesh where human skin would be, cracked their whips viciously into the air. Several of the weaker or sickly looking humans slip and fall. The awful things shout at the enslaved and roughly man-handle those who have fallen. This must be what had become of Jack’s people, just like he said!  
  
_Spineless, savage, harpooning fish-eaters…_ King Triton's past words came back to her.  
  
No, she looked around as she stealthily sneaks down, darting from place to place. To her father they might’ve once seemed to be barbarians before he came around, but there was nothing remotely savage about them. In fact, she was more than sure the sea king would’ve winced with inevitable sympathy if he saw what these land dwellers have been reduced to. Pale and downtrodden as they dug, lifted more tributes and carried heavy loads of geodes on their backs – even young children and the elderly folk were forced to work!  
  
And why? Because of Aku! Who was truly the savage one? Who was the one incapable of feeling?  
  
The little mermaid's heart trembled in sympathy for the poor unfortunate souls, and her heart jumped when she saw one figure suffer the worst. He was an old man, being forced to turn a giant drill. Except it seemed that the hardships have aged this man prematurely, for his body was still muscled and trim, yet thin from malnourishment.  
  
One of the guards then cracked his whip.  "Break!" it shouted in a gruff, growling voice.  
  
And the man collapsed to the ground on his knees.  
  
A young girl no older than fourteen saw his plight, and grabbed a bowl of water from a nearby well, then hurried to his side. "Here is water for you..."  She raised the bowl for him to sip the water. Only for a whip to snap against the bowl, causing it to fly out of their hands.  
  
A shadow guard all done in blue, in contrast to the red suits, stood over them imperiously.  
  
"None for him, by orders of Aku!!" The specter told her, closing its talon into a fist for emphasis.  
  
"But Sir, he will die without water, and won't be able to continue work!" The girl pleaded.  
  
"So!? There's more slaves where he came from and the Master actually WANTS him to die," The overseer sneered at them, its green eyes narrowing. "Now away with you!!" The specter cracked its whip at the girl, sending her running away in tears.  
  
Ariel had seen enough. With stern determination, she pulled out her hairpin and it transformed in a flash, already it began to glow neon purple, the harmonic melody with the hum of power roaring in her ear as she took aim.  
  
"And as for you..." The Blue-suited specter turned to the poor old man, raising the whip, prepared to strike him again. "BACK TO WORK, EVEN IF IT KILLS YOU!!"  
  
Before it can deal the blow, a bolt of purple energy shoots from the woods and strikes the foul thing in the chest. It shrieked in agony, as its body caught on fire, and everyone stopped what they were doing to watch in shock as it burned to ash.  
  
"What…!?" Another Specter shouted in alarm.  
  
But it was too late as Ariel charged from her the hiding spot and blasted out the bolts of energy from her trident, obliterating three more.  Even as they lunged for her, she countered remembering her training with the feral mermaids of white cap bay. Within seconds, the guards fell prey to the blasts, till there was not a single one left.  
  
"People! Take heart, your time of freedom is at hand. The one known as the Emperor's son, the Samurai with the blade to destroy Aku has returned!" Ariel shouted, her voice echoing across the camp. "I have come back from the future where he and one other, we have triumphantly vanquished Aku in that time, and he will do so once again! You will suffer under the monster’s oblique shadow no more!"  
  
"My son..." The old man choked in dryness and emotion.  
  
Stunned, Ariel turned and ran over, falling to her knees to help him up, and relieve the pain on her feet. "Sir, could it be...are you?"  
  
"I am...or WAS the Emperor of this land." He said morosely. "But Aku changed that...I waited...so long, for my little boy. My son..."  
  
"He's a man now...a great warrior, kind, strong, fierce, brave and wise." Ariel told him, cupping his cheek warmly.  "But first...I must tend to all of you...so you can be ready when he shows up."  
  
"But if you were with him..." The Emperor licked his lips struggling to speak. "Why..."  
  
"Save your energy, Emperor. You need to recover, and as for your son...he was flung into the future by Aku's hand. But we became separated." Ariel gently explained.  
  
The Emperor and others who gathered around them look confused.

But Ariel then lifted her silver trident - she had a theory and it was time to put it into practice now that she had Vanessa's gift once more. She pointed the trident up into the skies, a bolt of energy shot up, hit the clouds, and it began to rain. It rains fresh life-giving water. The people of Jack’s home cheered, holding out bowls, cupped hands, or opening their mouths to drink. But the water raining down was glowing bright blue, because it was enchanted water, and every person it touched was healed of all the whip marks, bruises, aches and pains they'd suffered under the slavery. Magically, all their chains melted, their shackles, and their clothes returned to what they once wore. The place was filled with their shouts of surprise and delight.  
  
Ariel and the girl from earlier, helped the Emperor drink as much of the water as he could swallow. And instantly, the man was restored to his former glory, his body, clothes and even his mind was refreshed.  
  
"Truly, you are a goddess sent to aid us." The Emperor gasped in awe.  
  
"No...I am but a mermaid given legs to walk on land to stand by the warrior she loves." Ariel giggled as her trident became a hairpin once more, placing it in her hair. "Fortunately, I have been blessed with a powerful magical artifact by an old friend of my mothers."  
  
Everyone gathered around her were shocked upon hearing she was a mermaid –Ningyo in their native tongue - and even more by hearing she was in love with their prince and her recent display of magic.  
  
The rain created by Ariel's trident did more than heal Jack’s nation, it slowly began to revitalize the soil and the flora until the restorative clouds began to spread across the globe. The storm clouds that rained on the camp, expanded and grew and began to go over the entire Earth, raining down on anyone touched by Aku's evil grasp, and magically restoring them back to their original self – no doubt the Dark Spectre Queen must’ve had this in mind when she returned the trident to the little mermaid. Furthermore, any minion of Aku's suffered burning pain as they perished under the enchanted rain. The only one safe was Aku in his tower, but that was soon to change.  
  
Back in the encampment... "What is in that bag on your hip?" The Emperor asked.  
  
Ariel looked down to where the Emperor pointed and saw the violet satin bag with a stylish 'V' on it. "Oh, this must've been what the Dark Spectre Queen gave me before I got sucked into the time portal. The V stands for her name, Vanessa."  
  
She pulled it open and a golden scroll flew out, and unrolled itself to show a message written on it. _" **Ariel, as I write this in the future, you are seeing this in the past. Know that I will try to send Jack and Ashi there as soon as possible. For us it will be six months, but for you maybe only three days.**  
  
**In the bag you shall find various gifts to help you restore the world, and at least guard yourself. For Aku will still be present, and though he will not know you in this time, I'm certain the fiend will try to claim you still."**_  
  
The words written on the scroll made Ariel shudder with revulsion, and the Emperor looked at her in concern. "What is it?"  
  
"I...I'm reading this and it tells me the bag has magical gifts to help protect me. For you see, in the future from where I emerged, although I fell in love with your son...unbelievable as this’ll sound…" She paled with what she said next, "Another being had fallen in love with me too… The Terrible Aku."  
  
Her grim words caused the young girl and Emperor to jump up in alarm.  
  
"The beast _desires you?!_ " Emperor gasped, shocked. "Were you able to keep out of his grasp?"  
  
"Just barely, but I unfortunately got married to him...in a way," Ariel said despondently, holding up her right hand to stare at her wrist, remembering the ceremonial rope that had bound her hand to Aku's. "I would've been bonded to him forever, but your son slew him, so that should negate the marriage." The little mermaid’s words drew some relief from the Emperor and Ariel herself. But the scroll flashed brightly, catching their attention as they turned to it. More words were being written on the scroll.  
  
**_"Beware, even though your marriage was negated, the bond is still in effect because Aku is alive in that time you’re in. I'm afraid that although he can't re-marry you, or take control of you, the fact you aided in his death means you betrayed the binding. So, with each step you take, not only will you feel the pain from before, but every step away from Aku will cause a cut on the soles of your feet, and make you bleed."_ ** The redhead maiden read out loud.  
  
"WHAT!?" Ariel exclaimed as she sprung to her feet. "Ahh!" The mermaid turned human cried out in pain, and the Emperor dove to catch her in his arms before she fell.  
  
"Child, are you alright!?" The emperor cried out.  
  
"Oh, my Emperor, look!!" The young woman pointed to Ariel's feet.  
  
They all looked down in dismay as a long, straight cut formed across the bottom of the sole of her left foot. Blood trickled from it briefly, before it faded away as if there'd never been a cut.  
  
"Oh no, it's true." Ariel wailed in grief. "And now, I have to wait for Jack to return and slay Aku, or this will continue."  
  
"Jack?" The Emperor asked in confusion.  
  
"That is the name your son chose when he arrived in the future, forsaking his own until he could fulfill his goal." Ariel explained her eyes downcast.  
  
"My son...such a simple name. Yet I feel it resonate with great courage and nobleness, as well as a blazing love from yourself." The Emperor stated in awe. "What of your name, daughter of the ocean?"  
  
"It's Ariel...."  
  
"Ariel..." The Emperor said in awe, and the young girl sigh in admiration. "Please. I could not forgive myself if you fell into the clutches of that monster, you must hide yourself until my son has returned."  
  
"I can't..." Ariel stated. "We still must find your wife, I gave up so much to be with him again, and I can stand being away from him for a little longer. I waited 50 years in the Ocean, before I gave up my voice to get legs."  
  
The girl and Emperor blinked.  
  
"Then how is it that you are able speak now?" The Girl inquired.  
  
"When Jack and I kissed...after being reunited for a while, I guess it must’ve fulfilled some clause in the deal. And I regained it a day or so later. But before then I had a magical necklace, which created golden words for others to read to understand me when I wanted to tell them something."  
  
"And all that for my son. I couldn't be prouder of him to have found such a devoted creature to love and be loved by," The Emperor said helping to steady her. "Please, lean on me. You’re going to do so much, and have done some already. Let me do what little I can to help you."  
  
Ariel smiled softly and nodded, taking a tentative step, leaning on the Emperor for support. It was sharp, sharper than any step she took before and she left bloody footprints that vanished in eerie manner. But it seemed all the humans she'd helped free from Aku's mines were now dedicated to aiding, and looking after their beautiful savior. Soon horses were found, and Ariel rode with the Emperor, to returning to Jack's home in the valley - magically restored thanks to the enchanted rain, and regroup with others to decide on the next course of action.  
  
Jack's nation was overjoyed to see their Emperor, they were all surprised and confused by the turn of events, but happy none the less. When the Emperor presented Ariel as the one responsible for the defeat of Aku's minions, and his possible future daughter-in-law, (which made Ariel blush) the people cheered full of hope, though were cautioned that Aku was still alive, and would surely seek out retribution for the undoing of his work.  
  
Still they were all safe and happy for now, and Ariel was presented with a room of her own in the renewed palace.  
  
"I would be honored if you would wear 'anything' that pleases you," He showed her several maids holding many items. "Gowns, jewels, gloves, and of course, shoes." The Emperor stated with a wry smile. "Though, I should hope you've become familiar with them by now."  
  
"It's...been a trial." Ariel admitted with a small blush, extending her foot. "I usually go bare foot and have been lucky, so far. Also, I would hate to get them bloody..."  
  
The Emperor nodded with a grim expression. "True...true...but your comfort means more to me. And I can easily have the shoes washed or replaced. It's the least I can do." He took her hand in his gently. "Please, consider this your home, and I will love and cherish you like you were my own daughter."  
  
Ariel's eyes filled with tears, and she embraced the kindly Emperor, who returned the embrace with a warm smile.  
  
While the survivors were hiding out/biding their time in the abandoned palace, they listened to the little mermaid tell them her story. Of her trusting fascination with the surface world, of the fateful day her father discovered her hidden grotto then destroyed the collection and how, in her impulsive haste sought out to prove the sea king's distrust of humans wrong only to unknowingly swim right into a terrible trap.  
  
"It was awful, I was tricked by Aku into drinking a potion which turned me human for a year except I regained my fin when doused in water. He had planned this as a scheme to get me as far from the Ocean and from my Father as possible." Ariel told them. "Then through some act of the fates, I met your son. We went on many adventures, and I got to see so much of the world above." she smiled in remembrance. "But at some point, Aku lured me away, in the form of a woman, and though Jack managed to rescue me – the creature warned me about the outcome if I failed to reach the sea on the final day. With the fortnight almost over, a bounty hunter and other minions of Aku prevented me from reaching the water in time. That was when the sun set on the last day of the year, I turned back into a mermaid again, and promptly captured by Aku. He used me to get the trident from my father, the only weapon beside your son’s sword which could severely injure him."  
  
"But surely he didn't succeed?" The Emperor asked worried.  
  
Many of her listeners shared the same expressions of concern.  
  
"Oh, he didn't. My family and I were reunited, and Aku was driven from Atlantica," Ariel look saddened. "But it took fifty years before I saw him again, as Jack wasn't aging, and my kind live for three hundred years."  
  
"Perhaps it was a result of his traveling through time." The Emperor stated.  
  
"I hope not, or else I might not age either." Ariel said glumly. The Emperor reached over to pat the girl on the shoulder comfortingly.  
  
The two were seated at the traditional tea table, sipping warm tea with the others.  
  
"I'm certain that after destroying Aku, twice, you can overcome any other problem." The Emperor assured her.  
  
"I hope so, I can only pray that the Dark Spectre Queen is alive now. I mean, we've known her to be ancient. But even I'm unsure HOW old she might be." Ariel said.  
  
The Emperor nodded and took a sip from his tea cup. "In regards to loved ones, I wished to discuss my wife. You said the Dark Spectre Queen's bag held magical gifts?"  
  
Ariel nodded.  
  
"Might it hold something to help me find her?" The Emperor asked. "I worry about her, yet have no clue to her whereabouts or how to contact her by now."  
  
Ariel looked thoughtful, and pulled up her bag, she opened it and purple light shined out. She reached in and pulled out a map of Earth, and a jade arrowhead. "Huh...." Ariel looked at the map of the world, and held up the jade arrowhead in the palm of her hand.  
  
"There's writing on the back." The Emperor points out.  
  
Intrigued, Ariel turned the map over and saw words scrawled on it: ‘If you seek to find a person, place, or thing. Hold the arrowhead over the map, say the words, and the arrow will point the way.’  
  
The mermaid then read the other words silently, and turned the map over. The emperor gestured over the servants to help clear the table. Once it was clear, the map was spread out and Ariel held the arrowhead over it. "Whisper softly, let it out. Find Samurai Jack's Mother, point her out!"  
  
She then yelped when the arrowhead shot out of her hand and began to slide across the map, and then it stopped at a spot between India and China. It spun rapidly, and then fell to the side, and when Ariel picked it up a green glowing ring was circled over a certain mountain range.  
  
"Oh, this is odd. It just pointed us to this mountain in Tibet." Ariel said in confusion. She was glad she’d paid attention to those geography lessons when she was younger.  
  
"Wait....I know that mountain range." The Emperor exclaimed. "There is a monastery, I had met my wife in the village nearby. She could have gone there for safety."  
  
"That's her sanctuary for the moment." Ariel mused, "We can't summon her here just yet, not with Aku still at large." The last thing she wanted was for Jack to lose his mother as she lost hers.  
  
The ex-mermaid rummaged through the bag once more. "Perhaps there's something else we can use to send word out to her about what has happened....Hm, I wonder what this is for?" She'd pulled out a necklace - a gold nautilus shell with a large pearl fit in the opening on the side.  
  
"I assume there are no instructions for this artifact?" The Emperor asked in concern.  
  
"No, it doesn't seem so...Vanessa only had enough chance to give me the bag." Ariel sighed as she put the necklace on. She started to rub it with a forlorn look on her face. "I just wish I could talk to my family back home, and learn something of what to do."  
  
When her fingers stroked over the shimmering pearl, a purple beam shot out of it towards the wall on the opposite side of the room, causing the maids standing there to run away, screaming in fright. And when the beam struck the wall, it rippled like water and the throne room of the palace in Atlantica was revealed, in it were Ariel's father, sisters, Flounder, Sebastian and the Dark Spectre Queen.  
  
"Jumping Jellyfish!!" Sebastian had turned and yelped in alarm at seeing Ariel and the Emperor.  
  
The redhead gasped. "Sebastian? Daddy? Sisters? Flounder? Vanessa?"  
  
"Ariel?!" They all cried.  
  
Vanessa was the only one who didn’t look surprised. "Ah, good! You found the necklace after all!"  
  
The Emperor watches mystified. "You know them?"  
  
"My family, these are them!" Ariel said, her voice full of emotion.  
  
Despite being separated by the time barrier, the merfamily and underwater friends were elated to see her safe and sound. They explained that after she'd vanished through the time portal, Jack and Vanessa correctly speculated that she must've been sent to the past where Jack's kingdom is located. Although the spell would take six months to complete, everyone from the surface world wanted to help their liberator, so the Dark Spectre Queen made a list of what would be needed and helping them restore what Aku nearly destroyed.  
  
"Jack and Ashi have set off for the more elusive ones. We have search parties from here and all over the Earth scouring for the necessary ingredients to create the time portal so that they can reach you. I’m just about to join in the search for one of them myself." explained the Sea king.  
  
"Can you ever forgive me? I’ve caused you such terrible worry, thinking only of myself, not you, not my sisters, not this place the only place I’ve ever truly called my home." Ariel said dolefully.  
  
Triton gently silenced his daughter, "Nevertheless, I’m proud of you, Ariel. Your mother would have been, too. Somehow, in the blink of an eye, long before these past fifty years, when my back was turned, you grew up."  
  
"There is still good left in many who live on the surface, Daddy. I know. I’ve seen it."  
  
"Even when I couldn’t. You love Jack very much, don’t you?"  
  
Ariel nods wistfully.  
  
"Then there's only problem left: how much I'm going to miss you."  
  
"Daddy!" Ariel smiled happily.  
  
"Just remember, when you hear the surf roar at night, and feel the tingle of salt in the air, it’s only your father checking in on his little daughter."  
  
"Oh, let me introduce you all to someone important: Everyone, this is Jack's father."  
  
The Emperor, who had been watching the exchanges silently in understanding approached, the two rulers bowed respectfully to one another in greeting before conversing with all that had transcurred. Then Vanessa was presented and she informed Ariel of what had been done so that none of Jack's friends nor she would forget them and vice versa, in addition so that Ashi wouldn’t vanish in the past. "Took me at least three months of convincing to the Council of Immortals, but they relented under one or two conditions, you'll soon see. In the meantime, look in the bag, you'll find there a few little ingredients that should keep Aku's forces away while you're there. Follow the instructions from the scroll, make sure you spread it around the edges of the palace and safe-houses. Trust me, you two, a few ground glass snowdrops, moonstones and unicorn hair go a long way...."  
  
"I do hope your wife is safe, even without the barrier to protect her," Triton said sympathetically to the Emperor. "I know if my Athena were still alive I'd be worried sick."  
  
"My wife is a formidable and cunning woman," The Emperor said proudly. "It's why I fell in love with her after our parents arranged our marriage."  
  
"Oh....you don't have an arranged bride for Jack, do you?" Triton asked in concern, causing Ariel to gasp in alarm.  
  
"Sincerely, no, we never got a chance. However..." The Emperor looks at Ariel with a proud smile. "If my son wishes to marry a valiant princess he brought from the future, I wouldn't say no, and neither would my wife."  
  
"Oh, what a relief. I thought I would have to send a curse back --" Vanessa sighed in relief. "I MEAN, take care Ariel, use that stuff wisely, there's plenty more in the bag and I'll tell Jack you called. BYE!!"  
  
Vanessa disappeared in flash of light, as the mersisters all giggled in amusement.  
  
Soon afterwards, the Emperor had everyone else gathered in the courtyard.  
  
"Gather round. Gather round, everyone." Ariel indicated, "We have a plan to keep this area safe from Aku and his forces for the time being."  
  
Quickly she and the Emperor relayed the instructions the Dark Spectre Queen had given them.  
  
"So volunteers, grab what you can and arm yourselves." Ariel spread out the ingredients for the survivors that agreed to the task.  
  
"Then let us make haste! We must begin immediately!" The Emperor ordered.   
  
With that everyone began to scatter a generous amount of the magic powder all around the outskirts of the city, and various farms, as the people would need to grow vegetables for food.  
  
Ariel was set on walking to make sure everyone had enough dust, but the Emperor insisted she remain seated on horseback to ride, so as not to put strain on her feet. The Emperor led the white stallion, and as they secured the town, various buildings and farms, the Emperor showed the Little Mermaid all the areas his son, wife and others had explored. He showed the place where his son had his first riding lesson with his mother, the Cherry Tree where he and his wife fell in love, the various locations his son played in and so forth. It was so moving for Ariel to see the childhood home of her beloved, she only wishes she could've shown Jack and Ashi her own home personally.  
  
But it would at least give her sisters and them to get to know each other, and bond a little.  
  
"It's still a little odd meeting you like this, Emperor." Ariel said.  
  
"Indeed. But the ways of Fate are strange, and so were the circumstances. But please, you may call me father if you wish, Ariel." The Emperor stated in warm tone.  
  
"I...well, if I may...could I refer to you by your name?" Ariel asked unsure.  
  
"That is most perfectly fine." The Emperor said with a smile. "You may call me Chiaki." The Emperor laughed. "I know it's not really a name one would think becoming of an Emperor, it means '1000 times cheerful.' Yet I've always been a happy, kind, smiling man, I learned early on to be strict, stern and fair when I must be."  
  
Ariel smiled and nods. "It's a name I think best suits you," Ariel stated her opinion. "And you’re a really good man, if the fact I know your son so well tells me anything about you."  
  
The Emperor, Chiaki, smiled proudly. "I believe I did a fine good job with that boy, though I can't take all the credit. He had extraordinary teachers."  
  
"But he still had his father, and his example." Ariel said in with a soft smile.  
  
A few hours before sunset, the task was done. They all watched in awe as a clear yet iridescent force-field was formed around where the ingredients had been spread. The people and their animals could pass through it easily whilst keeping the dark forces out. With its completion the people cheered.  
  
That evening, the Emperor had a chance to speak with his Empress; she too had been touched by Ariel’s enchanted rain and restored to her former self. Knowing she would be rightfully wary, he revealed something known only to them. Jack's mother was stunned, yet nevertheless relieved to see her husband alive and well, more so that her son would return home triumphant.  
  
Ariel introduced herself with a bow. "My Lady."  
  
"My, my, you are a truly a vision, child. I've not seen hair like yours since the Vikings came to make that pact with my husband." Jack's mother exclaimed.  
  
"Hair like the flames of the sun itself. Our son has his father's good taste in beautiful women," Emperor Chiaki exclaimed with a teasing grin. "Wouldn't you say, wife?"  
  
"Ignore him, dear. He's a boastful mess, I fear your healing rain has restored his ego as well." Jack's mother said teasingly.  
  
Emperor Chiaki clutched his heart in mock hurt, causing Jack's mother and Ariel to giggle.  
  
"Well, you must tell me all about yourself. But that can wait till later," Jack's mother said. "No doubt you’ll be here for a long while, maybe forever if my son has his way."  
  
She gave Ariel an impish wink, making the mermaid blush.  
  
"But I'd like to hear about his journey, and how he did for himself in the future." Jack's mother said with a heavy sigh. "It's been too long since I last saw my child. And my heart aches for him terribly."  
  
"You'll see him again very soon," Ariel gently reassured her, "The Dark Spectre Queen said he and another dear friend of ours would be arriving in three days. This is only the first one."  
  
"I await anxiously until then." replied the Empress wistfully.  
  
They conversed long after sunset that was when they bid her a farewell, knowing they eventually see each other again.  
  
That evening, Ariel retired to her room after bidding the Emperor a good night. From there, she could hear several of the lands' natural fauna returning to the restored valley. Smiling, she sank into the bed-sheets of her bed and looked at the ceiling contemplatively. One whole day and she already helped make a difference here in Jack's home. She turned over and began to nod off, hopefully tonight she'll dream of her loved ones, tomorrow was another day full of promise.

* * *

  
  
Meanwhile, miles from the valley, the dark fortress thundered with Aku's wrath and frustration. The mysterious storm clouds had caused troublesome interference, as a result he was unable to see what was happening outside his lair. Now it was dawn, and the enigmatic rains had just started to dissipate.  
  
**"Finally, perhaps now I can see just WHERE this infernal rain came from,"** Aku muttered as he opened his viewing mirror. **"Oh, what now!?"** Aku shouted as the view of the mirror was static and fuzz. **"Work, curse you, WORK!!"** Aku's eyes glowed and he zapped the mirror, energizing it.  
  
It took a bit of power, but Aku was finally able to see an image. It was still foggy and fuzzy, but it showed a red haired maiden, asleep in a bed.  
  
He couldn’t help staring. He'd felt it again; that mysterious force from the other day, except it was coming from her.  
  
**"I feel as though I know her...somehow... and yet I do not. So strange, but how could she be able to resist my power, and blind my all seeing eye?"**  
  
He watched her a little more even as she awoke and went about the restored city, mingling with the locals. Yet her bearing wasn’t that of a common human, no. Her legs, her movements were much too fluid and graceful.  
  
Then he heard her sing; he'd traveled far and wide on this world, yet nothing he heard could ever hope to compare to such a voice, and found himself ferociously yearning to hear this mysterious nymph sing once more. He knew he had to possess her and no one else.  
  
**"Come to me, my followers!"** Aku waved his clawed hands, summoning a large mass of his armored soldiers, many that had scythe like arms.  
  
**"Go! And find this young maiden, I have narrowed her location to be the old palace of the fool Emperor who defied me once before. Bring her back to me before three days pass, or it will end badly for you."** He said pointing to them with eyes narrowed to emphasize his seriousness.  
  
"We hear, and obey." The soldier bowed.  
  
Immediately they set off for the palace of the Emperor, and Aku was resentful that he couldn't watch her capture, as the mirror gave out. And he had no more power to spare to keep her in view. But someone else was watching, a pair of pretty and familiar maidens, one in silver, and the other in gold. The two girls watched from behind some burnt trees, and as they both eyed the army of shadow warriors, their eyes started to glow purple. And elsewhere, two purple orbs showing the army, slowly merged into one single orb. And a pair of large, deformed, black, scaly clawed hands appeared, hovering over and around the large crystal ball.  
  
"Yesssss… Hurry on to the palace, minions. We wouldn't want to disappoint your lord and master, would you?" The hands owner spoke in mocking tone.  "HA!! Lord and Master, heh, BAH!! He's not going to be lord and Master for long," The figure rubbed her hand over the crystal ball. "No, I sense something, and it has to do with this lovely, young mermaid. I sense my own magic saturated around her being."  
  
The figure stepped out of the shadows to reveal its Vanessa, decked in a sparkling purple dress, which the train of pooled at her feet like a puddle. "I have a feeling with you, he's going to bite off more than he can chew." She walks a step or two off, before turning to her crystal ball.  
  
"MIRA! KELLER!!"  
  
The two handmaidens hear her as clearly as if she was there, and Mira stumbles to the ground in shock, causing Keller to roll her eyes as she picked her up.  
  
"Hurry on ahead to the Palace, inform the Little Mermaid of her incoming guests and keep a close eye on this pretty little princess."  
  
The two Handmaidens cross their arm across their chest and bow their heads, before both disappear in a swirl of gold and silver light.  
  
"She may be the Herald to Aku's undoing!" Vanessa cheered as she laced her fingers together, the shadows engulfing her till only her purple glowing eyes were showing.  


* * *

  
  
Back in the protected palace, Ariel had thoroughly bandaged her feet so the darker side-effects wouldn't effect what she would be wearing- no need to alarm anyone else about her condition until Aku is slain. On a more practical view, she opted for a pair of wooden sandals.  
  
Afterwards, with the Emperor in a conference with several courtiers, she had gone exploring the valley, sightseeing and meeting with the people of the land. Since her second to third day in the city, she learned cultural activities, told the denizens stories of her home in Atlantica, and sang to the tunes from the village musicians. Little did she know they were about to receive unusually helpful visitors.  
  
The little mermaid was in such a festive mood, she even opted to dance for everyone, and her moves were light as a bubble. Everyone clapped in joy at her display of supreme grace, and Ariel shut her eyes to ignore the pain and enjoy the movement, so she didn't notice the two girls who joined her in the dancing. But she did when her legs finally gave out, and she nearly fell to the ground. But was caught in the arms of the two maidens, to everyone's relief.  
  
"Are you alright?" The one girl asked.  
  
"Yes, I'm..." Ariel turned to speak to them, and was amazed. "Mira? Keller!?"  
  
The two handmaidens’ eyes widened slightly, but then they gave her a small smile.  
  
"Our Queen was right," Keller said with a cool expression. "You are something special, but how is it that you know, of us?"  
  
"I-I know you, not now....but from the future." Ariel answered, and everyone else watching was surprised when she started talking familiarly to the girls.  
  
A couple of the villagers stepped closer, in order to listen in and see what was going on.  
  
"I was sent back to the past by the Shogun of Sorrow, we had killed Aku in the future. But he sent me back in time as a last act hoping to separate me from my love, the Emperor's son." Ariel explained  
  
"Well, it didn't work out so well, did it?" Mira giggled. "He wound up sending you straight back to the Emperor himself."  
  
Mira and Keller helped Ariel over to a stool, which was brought over by a villager, and the redhead was seated. Both handmaidens looked down and were startled to see her feet wrapped up in red cloth, which was slowly staining red with blood.  
  
"It seems it might have had to do with our Queen's powers." Keller leaned down to examine Ariel's feet. "You were a mermaid before, yes?"  
  
The little ex-mermaid nodded.  
  
"I had made a deal with The Dark Spectre Queen for legs," Ariel rubbed her stiff legs with a painful look. "But this pain and the bleeding is a side effect of my being forced to be 'bound' in marriage to Aku."  
  
Mira and Keller jumped. Keller standing to her feet, and touching the side of her head as her eyes glowed purple. "Yes, our Mistress agrees..."  
  
Ariel looks confused.  
  
"She sees and hears through us, and can communicate with us. But she is why we are here."  
  
Mira stepped forward.  "It is a good thing this village is guarded by a barrier," She said with a giddy expression. "For Aku has sent an army here, just to retrieve you!!"  
  
All the villagers gasped/cried out in fear and worry, and Ariel tried to jump up, except Keller forced her to sit back down.  
  
"But...how could he know? And why? He doesn't know me in this time!" she exclaimed.  
  
"Regardless, it seems your arriving here and stirring things up have alerted him to your presence." Keller stated in stoic tone. "And he obviously wants to know WHY he's intrigued by you and how these barriers are up."  
  
"He's gonna be furious." Mira giggled in amusement. "Oh, I can't wait to see his reaction."  
  
"Focus, Mira." Keller scolded. "What is your name, since you know ours?"  
  
"It's Ariel..."  
  
"Well, Ariel, if you wish everyone to be safe. I suggest getting everyone who's outside the village's barrier limits back inside." Keller forewarned.  
  
"Because Aku's minions will be here within two hours," Mira laughed. "And I don't think you want them outside when they do arrive."  
  
In spite of the pain in her legs, the mermaid quickly but calmly ushered the people back through the protective barrier. One of them was gracious enough to let her ride back to the palace and inform the Emperor of the army's imminent arrival.  
  
Although the magical force field would effectively keep the fiendish army out this time, that didn’t stop every available warrior or volunteer, nor The Emperor from arming themselves.  
  
Once more throughout the city, the loud clanging of warning bells resounded.  
  
Knowing a fight was inevitable, Ariel changed into something more suitable, then fetched her hairpin trident and the nautilus shell necklace just in case she may have to verbally confront whatever’s coming.  
  
With the two hours gone by, the humans, the two mysterious women and ex-mermaid waited while the other survivors were sent to the safe houses. The air felt terribly tense. Her ears were cautiously pricked up for that horribly familiar deep droning sound whenever that vile demon was near.  
  
Then they heard the dreadful raspy whispers – and they were coming from beyond the magical barrier.  
  
Ariel instinctively pulled out her weapon. She saw the vicious group of demonic minions running towards them. She felt as though she were back in the ocean – with sharks in a feeding frenzy coming after her and her friends.  
  
Four or five charged, only to either slam against the magical force field, which flashed arctic blue with several symbols, or be vanquished in wisps of oily smoke.  
  
Looking up into their eyes, Ariel saw spite. Cold malevolence. Even as her heart threatened to escape the rib-cage, she readied her trident. "Are you sure you wish to tempt fate? Those horrid slave drivers weren’t so lucky!"  
  
"You are the one our Master wishes to see," One of the soldiers stepped forward, its eyes glowing red. "And you are also responsible for the crime of freeing these slaves?"  
  
"These people are free, they were before, and never should've been enslaved!" Ariel cried out in outrage, waving her trident menacingly.  
  
"This land belongs to Aku, you do as well, Sorceress." The creature echoed in agitation.  
  
"I belong to no one, let alone that foul fiend!" Ariel answered back derisively.  
  
"Also, she's not a sorceress." Mira chimed in.  
  
"Only one given gifts by one, and quite favored it seems." Keller chimed in.  
  
"And who might YOU two be?" The Soldier remarked.  
  
"We serve the Luminous!" Mira declared proudly.  
  
"The Lustrous." Keller chimed in.  
  
"The Dark Spectre Queen of the Ocean!" Mira and Keller said in sync.  
  
Immediately, they both pulled out a dagger, and aimed it at the army. Then to everyone’s shock, beams of light shot from the daggers, blasting a clear path through the army to the other end. Everyone who was watching, Emperor to Ariel, were very stunned. But glad to see the destruction of a good part of the army.  
  
"What?" Mira asked with a smile. "You didn't think you were the ONLY one gifted by her Dark Majesty?"  
  
"We have our talents, and little presents from her too." Keller smirked.  
  
"So she IS here in this time." Ariel whispered awestruck, then said aloud to the remaining demonic minions, "We're prepared to fight you if need be, though I do believe there is a faster way to settle this without bloodshed of any kind." She pulled out the nautilus necklace, without losing her grip on the trident.  
  
The Emperor looked to her with fatherly concern, "Surely you don't intend to surrender yourself?"  
  
"Not if it means leaving you and everyone else here unprotected without my trident." Ariel replied softly, "We need more time, and I know just how to stall them all."  
  
She glanced at the sky, the sun hovered over the horizon. Vanessa had informed her early that morning via message of Jack and Ashi's arrival before the sunset hour. _Before the sun sets on the third day…_  
  
Mira and Keller watched fretfully, they hoped the mermaid knew what she was doing.  
  
She, in turn, just hopes her little diversion works, she never thought she'd use this to talk to the one creature she feared above all. With a gulp, she whispered the words, a purple beam shot at the wall of the barrier, catching the shadow soldiers by surprise. What magic was this? The beam had rippled like water, showing the interior of the pit of hate and its monstrous dweller, who'd momentarily started then smirked at the red-haired vision that stood glaring right at him.  
  
"With what reason have you to send your ruffians with the intention of dragging me back to your lair?" Ariel demanded coolly, the trident glowing purple with her scorn.  
  
Aku gave the mermaid a long hard look, especially considering he could now get a clear view of her, unobstructed. He took in her lithe figure, her angelic face, blood red hair, and deep, blue, bewitching eyes. She was fair; most of the human women were, but this foreign maiden was more so than any of those he'd ever seen.  
  
**"Perhaps, I simply wanted to meet the powerful being who dared to free my slaves, and create a maelstrom of rain that eliminated all of my forces outside of my lair."** Aku said with a leer. **"And you are most beautiful, my dear."**  
  
Ariel grit her teeth. "And YOU are as repulsive as ever."   
  
Aku blinked. **"I do not recall us meeting before."** He said in slight confusion.  
  
His eyes suddenly looked behind Ariel, and he saw two familiar looking women.  
  
**"GAAAAAAAWR!!! WHAT ARE THOSE TWO DOING HERE!?"** Aku bellowed in rage. He pointed at Mira and Keller, who smirked at his anger. **"DO NOT TELL ME YOU WORK FOR THE DARK SPECTRE QUEEN!?"**  
  
Ariel giggled a little at his disgruntled reaction. "Not exactly. Just a mermaid out of water so to speak, one she'd given legs to walk on the surface world. Or as the people of this land call my kind - what's the word? Oh, _Ningyo._ "  
  
**"A mermaid?"** Aku questioned. **"And yet you say you're not serving the Sorceress? You have her gifts..."**  
  
"I have 'her gifts' because she gave them to me, before I was sent back in time by YOUR spell. Before YOU sent me to here, so you really only have YOURSELF to blame, literally."  
  
Behind Ariel, the Emperor and the human army exchanged astonished glances. So that's how Ariel ended up here in the first place.  
  
**"Yet I sense an otherworldly force radiating from your very being, one beyond my comprehension, why?"**  
  
The mermaid held tightly to the trident even as she held the wrist which had been bound during the dark ceremony.  
  
"That's irrelevant, I am here now and I will not allow anyone of Jack's family, or people to be harmed. Moreover I will ensure the safety of all the other cities out there too!!" Ariel declared, lifting her trident upward to let it hum with its musical melody, as it glowed purple.  
  
_"Very well spoken, Child."_  
  
Everyone looked as a twister of purple energy swirled in front of Ariel, before revealing the Dark Spectre Queen of the Ocean. She wore a long flowing sea-foam green dress, a necklace of gold and amber, as well as a star-fish and pearls in her hair.  
  
"It would seem you hold my gifts, but since I do not recall giving them to you," Vanessa stepped forward to finger the prongs of the glowing trident with her black scaly fingers. "You must indeed be from the future, tell me how am I?"  
  
"In good health, milady." Ariel responded, "Continuously standing strong, even in a terrible future ruled by Aku's hand. It was thanks to your aiding many others that kept him from entirely conquering the Earth."  
  
Vanessa smiles indulgently, "And I expected no less."  
  
**"Regardless, I believe I was speaking to _her_."** Aku said disdainfully to Vanessa before turning a covetous gaze to Ariel.  
  
"Since when has YOUR opinion mattered?" Vanessa scoffed with a detesting glare at Aku.  
  
"It doesn't matter WHY I radiate an unearthly aura," Ariel said determined. "What DOES matter, is that you can't get to us. And your end will soon be here."  
  
The demon glowered momentarily hissing an insult towards the sorceress before addressing Ariel one more time, **"You think you've outwitted me, however you cannot hide behind your little shield forever. All this can end, merchild. If you agree to turn yourself to me, you can end this suffering."**  
  
Ariel quickly looked at the horizon. The sun was just a few minutes from setting on the distance.  
  
The Emperor stepped forwards in Ariel's defense. "It seems to me demon, it is YOU who is suffering, and we are the ones who are in a position of power. What’s more, since when has surrendering to you EVER ended suffering?"  
  
Ariel scowled at Aku, "I've already experienced enough from the future to know that you can never be trusted. So here is my answer and the Emperor's: You either leave this world be or face the consequences."  
  
The Emperor folded his arms firmly, standing by Ariel's decision. Behind them, Vanessa nodded once as if saying 'So there!'  
  
**"HOW DARE YOU!??"** Aku bellowed with rage. His eyes glowed with bright energy, and he shot his eye beams through the image and at Ariel.  
  
Ariel threw up her arms in shock, but Mira flung herself in front of the mermaid, transforming into her mirror form at the last second. The eye beams bounced off her reflective surface, and shot right back at Aku. And a resounding explosion was heard/seen, as the beams struck his own eyes. The connection was cut, and everyone was no longer seeing Aku. But all eyes and able bodies went towards Ariel and Mira, in terrified concern.  
  
"Little Daughter!!" The Emperor cried out in alarm.  
  
"I'm alright!" Ariel had been knocked backwards with one knee and her other hand braced on the ground. She stood up straight and readied her trident.  
  
Relieved, the Emperor, Vanessa, her handmaidens and the human army prepared for one last fight.

* * *

  
  
Back in the dark fortress the evil being was fuming. How dare she refuse!  
  
**"Destroy them and bring the mermaid to me!"** He roared to his viewing mirror knowing his minions could still hear him wherever they were. **"It was bad enough when the Samurai around, at least he is gone!"**  
  
And suddenly, a purple twister of swirling energy flew into the lair, and Aku yelled in alarm. The twister deposited two figures, one dressed in a sea-foam green kimono with pearls stitched on, and an all too familiar figure in a white gi.  
  
"AKU!!!" yelled Jack.  
  
**"Huh, you're back already!?"**  
  
"Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!" Jack yelled, he flew through the air and proceeded to slice Aku down the middle.  
  
The shapeshifter screamed in pain, and while half of him burned up into nothing, the other half tried to crawl away.  
  
"Jack, look!!" The woman, Ashi, shouted in warning.  
  
Jack turned and leaps to the slithering puddle of ooze. "It ends, Aku! NOW AND FOREVER!"  
  
He drove the sword down into the black goo that was once Aku, and it explodes into a ball of fire. Leaving the last bit of Aku to be no more.  
  
"I’ve done it. He's gone." Jack sighed in relief.  
  
And then, the lair started to shake and tremble, crumbling into pieces.  


* * *

  
  
At the same time, the specters suddenly stopped in their tracks shrieking in agony, smoking as though they’re burning.  
  
Perplexed, their opponents stared. What was causing it?  
  
Then the foul things twisted, twitched and contorted, the bodies  turning to solid stone before disintegrating to dust. One by one the vile army fell.  
  
Cautiously, Mira, Keller and several warriors touched the remains with their weapons. "They’re dead? That could only mean…"  
  
Ariel gasped then embraced the Emperor with a cheer. "He’s done it! Jack must’ve vanquished Aku!"  
  
With the knowledge, Ariel felt as though a great weight had been lifted from her heart. He was gone, he can't hurt her or anyone else anymore.  
  
"So, the son of the Emperor has returned and dealt with that fiend." Vanessa chuckled with glee. "OH, I'M JUST SO HAPPY!!"  
  
She cheered, throwing her scaly hands up, she snapped her fingers and immediately, in a flash of purple light, Jack and Ashi appeared in front of her.  
  
"I believe these two are friends, right?" Vanessa asked.  
  
"Jack, Ashi!" Ariel turned from hugging the Emperor.  
  
"Ariel!" Jack exclaimed in overjoyed surprise.  
  
He ran to Ariel and swept her up in an embrace before Ashi was pulled in to join in a group hug between the three of them.  
  
Ariel then gently pulled away for Jack to greet his father.  
  
"Father...." Jack bowed, only for the Emperor to pull Jack into a tight hug.  
  
"My son, you've made me prouder then I could ever be...you've slain Aku not once, but twice in your life. And liberated us all." The Emperor was beaming with tears of joy.  
  
"But....I was not there to free you personally, how did you come to be free?" Jack asked in confusion.  
  
"You have a most remarkable lady, my son." The Emperor chuckled as he gestured to Ariel. "She appeared, slew Aku’s minions, healed our wounds, and helped us rebuild our home."  
  
"It was my pleasure," Ariel smiled. "I almost didn't know where I was until I remembered Vanessa's - well the one from the future- her words. I knew - and wanted to help both your family and your nation somehow, someway. I never could've managed if she hadn't returned the trident to restore what Aku almost destroyed. And she was able to bring you both here as she promised."  
  
"All the monsters in the world couldn’t keep us away." Ashi beamed.  
  
"Charmed." Vanessa nods sunnily then looks to Jack. "Now that our common worse foe has been done away with for good, I believe it's high time for a proper family reunion, would you agree?"  


* * *

  
  
The Tibetan temple was quiet that early morning as the various monks began the morning rituals, such as lighting the incense. But one figure stood out among them, as it was a female; The wife of the Emperor. As she knelt to pray at the altar, a voice spoke up.  
  
"Mother..."  
  
The Empress turned and gasped in shock and amazement to see her son, fully grown, wearing a white gi. Behind him stood The Emperor, Ashi, Ariel, Vanessa, Mira, Keller and several soldiers of the royal army.  
  
"My son! My husband!!" She cried out with joy.  
  
Parents and son held each other tearfully, not caring that they were being watched. At long last, Jack was reunited with his family after so many trials and tribulations. Behind them, Ariel and Ashi smile wistfully. Vanessa sniffled before pulling out a handkerchief, "Eh, something in my eye."  
  
Then the Empress looked to Ariel and Ashi, extending a hand to them. The mermaid took it gently, the younger woman with hesitation, only to be caught by surprise as they're pulled into the embrace.  
  
"I know how much you girls mean to my son, I've already met Ariel in a way," The Empress pulls back to smile at Ashi. "And she has had nothing but good things to say about you, it's obvious you’re like a daughter to her, so consider me your grandmother, as well."  
  
Ashi becomes emotional, as she's not had a true family for so long. And now, in such a short while, she's gained almost an entire new one.  
  
"I will...Grandmother." Ashi said nodding her head respectfully.  
  
The Empress brushes off the formality, and kisses Ashi sweetly on the forehead.  
  
"Mother, Father, if you will give your blessings. I would like to adopt Ashi as my daughter," Jack turns to Ariel. "And Ariel..."  
  
Ariel pulls back from the Empress, as Jack takes her hand in his own, and gazes into her eyes with such intense passion.  
  
"Will you do me the honor, and bring me immense joy by marrying me?" Jack asked.  
  
"Oh Jack, it's all I've dreamed and hoped for the last fifty years," Ariel said with tears in her eyes. "Yes! Yes, I will marry you."  
  
Ashi covers her mouth to stifle her joy, and Jack's mother turns to bury her face in her husband's clothed shirt, sobbing with happiness.  


* * *

  
  
The wedding took place in the spring when the cherry blossoms were blooming. All of the countries and nations that had aided with Jack's training were invited to the heartwarming event. They all wanted to know who were these mysterious young women the Prince had brought back from his quest.  
  
Ariel was decked in a lovely kimono, green as the sea, but with all the fishes etched on it. And a crown of amber and pearls was set into her hair. All was soon ready, with Ashi as maid of honor, and Vanessa, with her handmaidens, attending as bridesmaids. Ariel was slowly being led down the aisle by Jack's mother, everyone watched, even Ariel's friends and family via the shell necklace. And it was all so beautiful, and truly a magical moment.  
  
Thus, it was a shock when Vanessa let out a scream of agony, and fell to the floor in pain.  
  
Everyone gasped and cried out.  
  
Ariel, Ashi, Mira, Keller and Jack's mother knelt by her side in concern. Jack quickly rushed over, kneeling at the Dark Spectre queen's side.  
  
"Vanessa, what is wrong!?" Jack asked in concern.  
  
"I...ahhh!! I...do...not...gah....know!" She sobbed in pain, her fists so tightly clenched the green blood of hers oozed through her fingers. And then, the blood began to turn into normal looking blood, and a strange blue glow swept over her body, as cracks seemed to appear. Like a mirror, hit with a hammer, Vanessa's body seemed to shatter. But in truth her body was still there, but utterly changed from before.  
  
Her hair, once black as midnight, was now glittering, golden, and it was thin and flowing. Like the water pouring down a waterfall. Her skin was smooth and yellow, unblemished without a single black scale, fin, or pale patch to disturb it's beauty. She was thinner, more willowy, but much taller than before. And from the hem of her dress poked out two pretty white feet, replacing the seagull ones she had before.  
  
Vanessa, for it surely was her and no one else, clutched a hand to her chest to gasp in some hair, catching a lock of her golden hair to her heart when doing so.  
  
Her handmaidens gasped softly in understanding. With Aku gone, the Dark Spectre Queen was no longer tainted by his evil.  
  
"Ah..." Vanessa looked at her hands in shock, and touched her face in shock.  
  
"Vanessa...is...is that you?" Ashi asked in concern.  
  
"Mira!" Vanessa called out frantically.  
  
"Yes, My Lady." Mira said turning into a mirror.  
  
Vanessa grabbed the frame of the mirror, and stared at her face in amazement, she stared into her own, sea-green emerald eyes in awe. "I don't believe it." She runs her fingers through her silken strands with a jubilant smile. "It's me, the real me!!"  
  
Jack and Ariel look at each other in confusion.  
  
"You...you mean, this is how you really looked?" Jack's eyes lit up in remembering. "Wait...didn't you say how Aku tainted you?"  
  
Vanessa spun around, her smile dropped, but still looking much more cheerful than ever. "Yes, much like how he tainted you when he had that cold, and the lizard monks barely saved you," Vanessa explained. "I...was not so fortunate."  
She looks out of the side of her eye, at her reflection in the mirror. "I could keep it under control with the Sampo, but I was incapable of purging the toxin of Aku's evil from my body, mind and soul."  
  
Ashi stepped forward with a look of realization.  
  
"But...he's gone now, past and future. Which means..." Ashi said out loud.  
  
"Oh, I am free of his presence forever!!" Vanessa cheered, Mira turning back into her human form as Vanessa hugged her two handmaidens. And then she turned, and wrapped her arms around Jack and Ariel, kissing them on the cheek in joy. "You two have my everlasting gratitude, you've done far more for me then you can ever imagine." Vanessa whispered with tears of happiness running down her cheeks.  
  
"Ariel, your mother saved my life, or will in the future. But now, because of you, Jack and Ashi, my life can truly be enjoyed, and I can be happy!"  
  
Jack and Ashi were surprised but glad nonetheless. Jack was momentarily speechless yet smile with reassurance.  
  
"You're welcome," Ashi said to her.  
  
"But enough about me," Vanessa then pulls back and says aloud, "Sorry for the delay everyone, I'm fine. Now on with the wedding ceremony -" she placed a motherly hand on Jack and Ariel's shoulders, "These two are getting married!"  
  
Her words were met with a loud cheer from the crowd.  
  
And there in the view of all their dearest friends and family, the valiant Samurai and his little Mermaid were wed.  
  
It was a little sad for the trio to say goodbye to many of those that resided in the future. Of course there was still Vanessa's gift, even if it wasn't the same.  
  
Ashi and Ariel will never forget the world they came from. But they were both more than ready to start a new life here in the distant past- Jack's world, which has now become theirs too.  
  
Yes, it was vastly different than what they know, but the two women adjusted in nearly no time at all. Soon afterwards, the three had spoken to scribes each relating their stories together and separately, then the tapestries describing them were made, a testament to the extraordinary event that brought two worlds together. Something that will be shared by their children and many generations to come.


End file.
